SANAA, October 15 (RIA Novosti) – Houthi forces are seizing cities in Yemen in order to protect local residents from terrorism, the head of the movement’s politburo Dayfallah Shami told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
He stated that the Yemenis have organized themselves into people’s committees, fearing that terrorism could turn their country into another Iraq or Syria.
“When they [the committees] notice stirring up of terrorism and crime, aimed at violating security and stability in a province, they suppress such attempts,” Shami said, noting that Houthis are not planning to take over any cities.
The Houthi rebels’ senior official also dismissed the rumors that the movement had stricken a deal with the Yemeni government, according to which they would be given control over the country’s north.
Earlier on Wednesday, several thousand Houthi fighters entered a major Yemeni city of Ibb in the country’s southwest. They had previously seized the major port city of Hudeida, as well as Dhamar and a military base in the Hudeida province. All takeovers have reportedly been carried out without any opposition from the residents.
Houthi rebels attacked Yemen’s capital Sanaa in September. The insurgents are still in control of the entrances into Sanaa, as well as many residential buildings in the city.
The Houthis, or the Ansarullah, is the main opposition force in Yemen. The Shia group has been carrying out protests in the country since mid-August, demanding the resignation of the Yemeni government, which they say is corrupted and marginalizes the Shia community in the country.
On Monday, the group welcomed the appointment of Khaled Bahah as Yemen’s new Prime Minister. Earlier this month, the Houthis rejected the appointment of another Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, saying that the United States orchestrated the move. Mubarak stepped down from the post on October 9.
