SANAA: Yemen’s Shia fighters from Ansarullah movement tightened their grip on the capital Sanaa on Monday after seizing much of the city in a lightning advance and signing an overnight deal to win a share of power, capping a decade-long popular uprising.
The embattled government of President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and Ansarullah movement signed a UN-brokered peace deal to end the political deadlock in the country and under the agreement the president should elect a new prime minister in three days.
Ansarullah delegation signed a power sharing agreement with other parties late on Sunday after seizing much of the capital within a few hours, facing limited opposition from government troops who appeared reluctant to fight. Medical sources said 200 people were killed.
The deal also calls for the formation of a new government within 30 days, and the immediate reinstatement of fuel subsides; Something Houthis have been calling for during a month of street protests. The signing of the accord came only hours after Ansarullah fighters took over several government and military headquarters in Sanaa.
Both the president and the United Nations envoy to Yemen called for an immediate end to hostilities in Sanaa-in order to ensure the implementation of the deal.
The agreement calls on Shia dominated movement to dismantle protest camps that have been set up in and around the capital.
The Zaydi Shias, who make up majority of Yemen’s 25 million population and had ruled a kingdom there for 1,000 years, have complained of being marginalised since their last king in Sanaa was overthrown in a 1962 army coup.
Protesters gathered in the streets, some chanting “Death to America! Death to Israel! Victory to Islam”, while armed supporters in civilian clothes deployed alongside government soldiers across Sanaa.
Ansarullah is mainly comprised of Houthis, who are named for the tribe of their founder Abdul Malik al Houthi.
Ansarullah is seen as allied to Iran, the main Shia power in the region and mortal foe of Saudi Arabia and other Sunni monarchies of the Gulf who back government in Sana.
The Shias have long been marginalized by Yemen’s political elite. They complained they were left out of a Gulf-brokered power transfer deal after “Arab Spring” protests forced veteran leader Ali Abdullah Saleh to quit in 2012 in favour of his then vice president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Although a National Dialogue process which ended this year agreed to devolve more power to Yemen’s regions, the Houthis disagreed with the geographic boundaries that were proposed.
Over the past few months, they successfully fought a series of battles in their northern stronghold against rival Saudi backed militias and allied troops loyal to the Sunni Islamist Islah Party, bringing them to the outskirts of Sanaa.
On Monday, Ansarullah was quick to show its muscle by deploying fighters on key intersections, including the main airport road. Residents said armed men also guarded major banks, including the central bank.
Militiamen seized the Sanaa home of one of their fiercest rivals, Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a conservative Sunni general who led six wars against the Houthis between 2004 and 2010, and was one of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadis closest advisers.
The [Mohsen] house is under the control of Ansarullah, said a militia fighter.
Last month the group capitalised on an unpopular government decision to raise fuel prices by sending thousands of supporters to protest.
They not only demanded that the price rises be rescinded, but also called for the cabinet to step down and make way for a more inclusive administration.
Group focused its assault on the headquarters of the First Armoured Division, a force they describe as loyal to Saudi backed parties. They captured the headquarters on Sunday, seizing tanks and other military hardware.
As the fighters fought their way to both facilities in northern Sanaa, government institutions surrendered without a fight.
SAUDI CONCERNS
While Gulf Arab states have welcomed the power-sharing agreement signed on Sunday night as a step towards forming a more inclusive government, analysts said Riyadh saw the Ansarullah gains as a victory for its enemy Iran.
In Tehran, Marzieh Afkham, Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, welcomed Sunday’s agreement.
Mohammed al-Zulfa, a former member of Saudi Arabia’s consultative Shura Council, said Ansarullah connections to Iran were a big problem.
“The Saudis worry about this. Maybe it’s like Hezbollah. The Saudis should be aware of this and what is their next step,” he said, referring to the powerful Lebanese group which is close to Tehran.
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