Houthi militia internal rifts threaten to unseat its leader

Ahmed Adel

Conflicts within the Houthi militia have assumed bloody proportions, threatening Houthi leader Abdel Malal al-Houthi himself.

UN report

According to a report by the United Nations on 6 February, senior Houthi leaders have formed their own economic empires.

Other leaders have formed separate intelligence agencies, as part of ferocious rivalries over power and financial institutions, the UN said in the report.

The report does not, however, mention additional information about the Houthi leaders forming parallel institutions within the militia.

Nevertheless, the same institutions threaten the grip of Houthi leader Abdel Malak al-Houthi on the militia.

The same rifts brought down Abdel Malak’s own brother Ibrahim who was responsible for preventive security within the militia.

Coup against the coup

Tehran is afraid that power struggles within the militia will unseat Abdel Malak al-Houthi who succeeded his brother on the saddle of the militia after being recommended by his father Badreddine, the godfather of the militia.

The coup staged by the founder of the militia against what came to be known as the Organization of Pious Youth makes an internal coup in the militia likely. After staging his own coup, Badreddine turned the organization into a sectarian militia that strives for fighting and killing to reach power.

He even overlooked regulations for the selection of the commander of the organization so that his two sons can be at its helm.

Sacred affiliation claims

Abdel Malak al-Houthi has been paving the way for his younger brother, Gen. Abdel Khaliq to gain a senior status inside the militia on the road to succeeding him at its top.

Abdel Khaliq is the last member in Abdel Malak’s very inner security circle.

Abdel Malak claims to be a descendant of the People of the House, namely the family of Islam’s prophet Muhammad. However, he is not alone in this. His cousins do this too.