Houthis seize banks & foreign exchange firms in Yemen

Noura El-Bendary

After fully taking control of schools and hospitals in Yemen, the Houthi militias are tightening the grip on all of the country’s institutions, including banks and foreign exchange firms. The Houthi militias have suspended 6 foreign exchange firms and vowing to fine anyone dealing with these companies.

The Houthi militias ordered these companies to finalize all pending transactions under the supervision of pro-Houthi central bank on September 23-24, requesting from Yemenis to withdraw their remittances.

Banking sources ascribed the decision to the refusal of these foreign exchanges to pay mammoth sums of money to the Houthi militias.

It’s noteworthy that the Houthis militias closed the central bank in Sanaa in December 2014 and seized large amounts of money from it.

As of January, the Houthi militias have imposed royalties on Yemeni banks, charging a share of up to 30% of their profits to finance their military activities. Those who refuse to pay have been jailed.

The terrorist militias jailed Abbas Nasser, the deputy director of Shamil Bank of Yemen & Bahrain, claiming that Nasser had submitted a request to open a letter of credit for importing food commodities from the Central Bank in Aden.

Saleh Abu Awzal, editor-in-chief of al-Yawm al-Thamen newspaper, said the Houthi militias shut down banks in the areas under their control.

“The Houthis reject all of all those who do not believe in their ideology,” Abu Awzal told THE REFERENCE.

“The Houthi militias and the Muslim Brotherhood aim at promoting sectarianism in Yemen. However, this situation won’t last due to growing resistance against the Houthi and Brotherhood’s plots,” he added.

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