Is this about time the Houthis labeled as ‘terrorist group’?

Ali Rajab

The terrorist Houthi militia appears to be close to being designated as a “terrorist” group, after Shiite militias in Iraq, the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were given that label.

The US decision to brand the Revolutionary Guard Corpse as a terrorist organization comes in line with demands by the Yemeni people and a number of Arab Gulf states for designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist group too.

This decision makes the case tough for the Iran-aligned militia and also promises to bring a quick end to its coup against legitimacy in Yemen. The Houthis have been controlling Yemeni capital Sana’a and other provinces in northern Yemen since December 21, 2014.

In September 2018, a senior US State Department official revealed that Washington had already started mulling the designation of the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization. The official added that Tehran uses groups like the Houthis and Hezbollah to lengthen the conflict in Yemen. The US, he said, does not view the conflict in Yemen in separation from Iran’s practices, in general.

In February 2017, the Yemeni government called for labeling the Houthi militia as a terrorist group. It sent a letter to the United Nations in which it referred to Iranian financing, training and arming of the Houthis.

In February this year, the government called on the US to designate the militia as a terrorist group as well. Washington did not, meanwhile, rule out the presence of contacts between the Houthis and al-Qaeda with the aim of spreading chaos in Yemen.

The Yemeni demands go hand in hand with the demands of the Arab Quartet, namely the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, for labeling the militia as a terrorist organization. The US also views the Houthis as a threat to its security, exactly like al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group, Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guard Corpse. This is particularly true after the Houthis started threatening navigation in the southern entrance of the Red Sea. The Houthis attacked US and Saudi vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Yemeni political analyst Kamel al-Khawdani said the designation of the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization would be the beginning of the end for the coup in Yemen.

This designation, he added, would undermine the Houthis and put an end to sectarian rifts within the Yemeni society.

“This designation will also support the efforts made by the Arab Coalition for Legitimacy in Yemen,” al-Khawdani told The Reference.

Is this about time the Houthis labeled as ‘terrorist group’?

Ali Rajab

The terrorist Houthi militia appears to be close to being designated as a “terrorist” group, after Shiite militias in Iraq, the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were given that label.

The US decision to brand the Revolutionary Guard Corpse as a terrorist organization comes in line with demands by the Yemeni people and a number of Arab Gulf states for designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist group too.

This decision makes the case tough for the Iran-aligned militia and also promises to bring a quick end to its coup against legitimacy in Yemen. The Houthis have been controlling Yemeni capital Sana’a and other provinces in northern Yemen since December 21, 2014.

In September 2018, a senior US State Department official revealed that Washington had already started mulling the designation of the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization. The official added that Tehran uses groups like the Houthis and Hezbollah to lengthen the conflict in Yemen. The US, he said, does not view the conflict in Yemen in separation from Iran’s practices, in general.

In February 2017, the Yemeni government called for labeling the Houthi militia as a terrorist group. It sent a letter to the United Nations in which it referred to Iranian financing, training and arming of the Houthis.

In February this year, the government called on the US to designate the militia as a terrorist group as well. Washington did not, meanwhile, rule out the presence of contacts between the Houthis and al-Qaeda with the aim of spreading chaos in Yemen.

The Yemeni demands go hand in hand with the demands of the Arab Quartet, namely the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, for labeling the militia as a terrorist organization. The US also views the Houthis as a threat to its security, exactly like al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group, Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guard Corpse. This is particularly true after the Houthis started threatening navigation in the southern entrance of the Red Sea. The Houthis attacked US and Saudi vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Yemeni political analyst Kamel al-Khawdani said the designation of the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization would be the beginning of the end for the coup in Yemen.

This designation, he added, would undermine the Houthis and put an end to sectarian rifts within the Yemeni society.

“This designation will also support the efforts made by the Arab Coalition for Legitimacy in Yemen,” al-Khawdani told The Reference.