USA Today is reporting that Shiite Houthis rebels in Sanaa, Yemen captured the state media on Monday. A Yemeni official close to the situation said that is a step towards a coup d’etat, and could further destabilize the Middle East’s poorest nation. Further, it is believed that the attack on the capital is being orchestrated by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted in the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011.
Current President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is currently battling the Houthis rebels near the palace. The fighting started early Monday morning, Ahmed Al-Haj of the Associated Press?reports,?with witnesses in Sanaa claiming that heavy machine gun fire and artillery shells could be seen and heard around the presidential palace. President Hadi does not live at the palace, but lives nearby, and his home was quickly surrounded by Yemeni troops to protect him.
A well-known activist in Yemen, Hisham Al-Omeisy, took to Twitter this morning to report on the happenings.
HHOLY SHIT A SHELL JUST LANDED 300 METERS AWAY FROM ME ON 50M ROAD SOUTH OF CAPITAL SANA'A #YEMEN pic.twitter.com/IT1VPSmn9h
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) January 19, 2015
Friends living in Nahdayen area in Sana'a #Yemen say all hell broke loose. Pic via @hamzaalkamaly pic.twitter.com/2EnDECL5Ul
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) January 19, 2015
Houthi media screaming with "Presidential guard shelling 50M Rd & 70M hospital in Sana'a (south of capital) " #Yemen https://t.co/aO7FCcsNqH
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) January 19, 2015
Heavy battle near Nahdayen hill overseeing presidential palace, Houthis intent on taking it by all means Sana'a #Yemen
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) January 19, 2015
With Yemen being the poorest country in the region, it is especially important to keep a strong central government intact, as it is home to what the U.S. considers to be the most dangerous arm of Al-Qaida in the Arabian peninsula. President Hadi has been a key ally for the United States against Al-Qaida in the region, and has supported U.S. drone attacks on Al-Qaida. Houthis rebels, however, are strongly opposed to U.S. efforts in the country. If Hadi was removed or killed in a coup, it could leave American counter terrorism efforts in Yemen in flux.
Though a cease-fire agreement had apparently been reached, it quickly disintegrated into more gunfire, and the fighting continues to rage in the capital city of Sanaa.
