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Thousands Yemenis rally against Houthi takeover of power

Xinhua, February 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Tens of thousands of people marched across Yemen's several cities on Wednesday in protest against Shiite Houthi militia's takeover of power.

The protesters staged demonstrations in the capital Sanaa, which is under control of Houthi militia since last September, and rallied in other major cities of Taiz, al-Hodayda, Ibb, Marib and Dhamar, witnesses said.

They rejected the "constitutional declaration" by the Houthi group and demanded the restoration of power of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his prime minister, who were forced to resign last month after a standoff with the Houthi group.

"The 2011 revolution is continuing," the protesters chanted. The demonstration was due to mark the fourth anniversary of revolution that forced former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down, but then turned to be against the Houthi group.

In the meantime, hundreds of followers of the Houthi group took to street in Sanaa to show support to the Shiite militia.

They chanted slogans and waved banners to support the "constitutional declaration," a unilateral move taken last Friday by the group's leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, which dissolved the parliament and formed a presidential council to take over power from the presidency.

The political impasse promoted the United States, Britain and France to withdraw their diplomatic staff in Sanaa. The three countries urged the immediate departure of their citizens from Yemen, citing the security situation.

Security situation deteriorated in Yemen since January when the Shiite Houthi group seized the presidential palace in Sanaa after deadly clashes with presidential guards.

President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah submitted resignations on Jan. 22.

On Feb. 6, the Houthi group announced a unilateral move to dissolve the parliament and form a presidential council to take over power after the country's president and prime minister resigned, which was rejected by Yemen's political parties and denounced by the Gulf Arab states.

The Shiite Houthi group, also known as Ansarullah and based in the far northern province of Saada, has been expanding its influence southward after signing a UN-sponsored peace and power-sharing deal on Sept. 21, 2014 following week-long deadly clashes.

On Monday, the country's political parties and Houthi group resumed talks under the mediation of UN envoy Jamal Benomar, aiming to find a solution to peacefully end the current crisis. Endit