Sa'dah insurgency

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Sa'dah insurgency


caption=Location of Sa'dah Governorate inside Yemen
date=June 2004 - present
place=Sa'dah Governorate, Yemen
casus=
territory=
result=Conflict ongoing
combatant1="' |date=2007-03-21 |accessdate=2008-05-23]
combatant2=Shī‘a-led:
Shabab al-Muomineen
commander1=President Ali Abdullah Saleh
General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar
commander2=Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi †
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
strength1=30,000 in-theatre
strength2=< 3,000
casualties1=> 720 killed
casualties2=hundreds killed

The Sa'dah insurgency [cite news
first = Ginny
last = Hill
title = Yemen fears return of insurgency
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6331149.stm
work = BBC News
date = 2007-02-05
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ] [cite journal
last = McGregor
first = Andrew
date = August 12, 2004
title = Shi’ite Insurgency in Yemen: Iranian Intervention or Mountain Revolt?
journal = Terrorism Monitor
volume = 2
issue = 16
pages = 4–6
publisher = The Jamestown Foundation
url = http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/uploads/ter_002_016.pdf
format = PDF
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ] began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, head of the Shī‘a Zaidiyyah sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. Most of the fighting has taken place in Sa'dah Governorate in northwestern Yemen.

The Yemeni government alleges that the Shabab al-Muomineen seek to overthrow it and to implement Shī‘a religious law. The rebels counter that they are "defending their community against discrimination" and government aggression.cite news
title = Deadly blast strikes Yemen mosque
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7379929.stm
work = BBC News
date = 2008-05-02
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ] The Yemeni government has accused Iran of directing and financing the insurgency, [cite journal
last = Johnsen
first = Gregory D.
date = February 20, 2007
title = Yemen Accuses Iran of Meddling in its Internal Affairs
journal = Terrorism Focus
volume = 4
issue = 2
pages = 3–4
url = http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/uploads/tf_004_002.pdf
format = PDF
accessdate = 2007-04-07 ] while Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani described the Yemeni government's operations as a "jihad". [cite news
first = Jane
last = Novak
title = Al-Qaeda Escape in Yemen: Facts, Rumors and Theories
url = http://www.globalpolitician.com/21614-yemen-arab
work = Global Politician
date = 2006-02-18
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ]

Timeline

From June to August 2004, government troops battled supporters of al-Houthi in the north. [cite news
title = Clashes 'leave 118 dead' in Yemen
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3863463.stm
work = BBC News
date = 2004-07-03
accessdate = 2007-02-03 ] Estimates of the dead range from 80 to more than 600. In September, Yemeni forces killed al-Houthi. [cite news
title = Yemeni forces kill rebel cleric
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3643600.stm
work = BBC News
date = 2004-09-10
accessdate = 2007-01-30 ] Since then, the rebellion is led by one of his brothers, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.cite news
first = Nasser
last = Arrabyee
title = Rebellion continues
url = http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/743/re10.htm
publisher = Al-Ahram Weekly
date = 2005-05-25
accessdate = 2007-04-11 ]

Between March and April 2005, more than 200 people were killed in a resurgence of fighting between government forces and supporters of the slain cleric.

In May 2005, the rebels rejected an offer of a presidential pardon by President Ali Abdullah Saleh after their conditions for surrender were refused by the government and minor clashes continued. On May 21, the government released estimates of the impact of the rebellion, announcing that it was responsible for 552 deaths, 2,708 injures, and over USD 270 million in economic damages.

In March 2006, the Yemeni government freed more than 600 captured Shī‘a fighters. [cite news
title = Yemen tells Shi'ite rebels to disband or face war
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070129-0318-yemen-houthi-.html
work = SignOnSanDiego.com
publisher = Reuters
date = 2004-01-29
accessdate = 2007-01-30 ]

A new spate of fighting broke out in late December 2006.cite news
first = Khaled
last = Al-Mahdi
title = 95 Killed in Yemen Clashes
url = http://arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=92163&d=15&m=2&y=2007&pix=world.jpg&category=World
publisher = ArabNews
date = 2007-02-15
accessdate = 2007-04-11 ] On January 28, 2007, when militants attacked multiple government installations, killing six soldiers and injuring 20 more. [cite news
title = 'Shia gunmen' kill Yemeni troops
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6307703.stm
work = BBC News
date = 2004-01-28
accessdate = 2007-01-30 ] Further attacks on January 31 left six more soldiers dead and 10 wounded. [cite news
title = Shi'ite rebels kill six Yemen soldiers - Web site
url = http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0118141.htm
publisher = Reuters
date = 2007-02-01
accessdate = 2007-02-03 ] A further ten soldiers died and 20 were wounded in an attack on an army roadblock near the Saudi Arabian border on February 1.cite news
title = Yemeni soldiers killed in attack
url = http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/24D55138-C57E-455A-93D3-7B29E3D21C93.htm
work = Al Jazeera English
date = 2007-02-01
accessdate = 2007-02-02 ] Though there was no official confirmation of militant casualties in the attacks, government sources claim three rebel fighters were killed in a security operation following the January 31 attacks. [cite news
title = 10 soldiers killed in attack in Yemen
url = http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=19396
publisher = Middle East Online
date = 2007-02-02
accessdate = 2007-02-03 ]

In February, the government launched a major offensive against the rebels involving 30,000 troops.cite news
first = Nasser
last = Arrabyee
title = Yemen's rebels undefeated
url = http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/838/re8.htm
publisher = Al-Ahram Weekly
date = 2007-04-04
accessdate = 2007-04-11 ] By February 19, almost 200 members of the security forces and over 100 rebels had died in the fighting. [cite news
title = More than 100 killed in 5 days of clashes between army and Shiite rebels clashes in Yemen, officials say
url = http://iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/19/africa/ME-GEN-Yemen-Rebels.php
publisher = International Herald Tribune
date = 2007-02-19
accessdate = 2007-04-11 ] A further 160 rebels were killed in the subsequent two weeks. [cite news
title = 160 rebels killed in Yemen
url = http://story.israelherald.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/940f2bfd509e743b/id/232503/cs/1/
publisher = Israel Herald
date = 2007-03-07
accessdate = 2007-04-11 ]

A ceasefire agreement was reached on June 16, 2007. The rebel leaders agreed to lay down arms and go into exile in Qatar (by whom the agreement had been mediated), while the government agreed to release rebel prisoners, help pay for reconstruction and assist with IDPs returning home. [cite news
first = Ahmed
last = Al-Hajj
title = Yemen's government, Shiite rebels negotiate end to 3-year conflict
url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003751155_yemen17.html
work = The Seattle Times
date = 2007-06-17
accessdate = 2007-06-17 ]

Armed incidents resumed in April 2008, when seven Yemeni soldiers died in a rebel ambush on April 29. [cite news
author = Reuters
title = Dozens of casualties in Yemen mosque blast
url = http://www.france24.com/en/20080502-dozens-casualties-yemen-mosque-blast&navi=MONDE
work = France 24
date = 2008-05-02
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ] On May 2, 15 worshippers were killed and 55 wounded in an explosion at a mosque in Sa'dah. The blast occurred as crowds of people left Friday prayers at the Bin Salman Mosque. The government blamed the rebels for the bombing, but Houthi's group denied being responsible. [cite news
title = Deaths in Yemeni mosque blast
url = http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9B661165-2CD6-4582-8B4D-507C3653F795.htm
work = Al Jazeera English
date = 2008-05-02
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ] Shortly after the attack, three soldiers and four rebels died in overnight skirmishes. [cite news
author = Associated Press
title = 7 die as Yemeni troops, rebels clash after mosque attack
url = http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209626997129&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
work = The Jerusalem Post
date = 2008-05-03
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ]

On May 12, clashes between Yemeni soldiers and rebels near the border with Saudi Arabia killed 13 soldiers and 26 rebels. [cite news
author = Associated Press
title = Heavy clashes break out between Yemeni soldiers and Shiite rebels in nor
url = http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/12/africa/ME-GEN-Yemen-Clashes.php
work = International Herald Tribune
date = 2008-05-12
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ]

Humanitarian effects

In April 2008, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that the conflict had created 77,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sa'dah Governorate. [cite news
title = YEMEN: Rebel leader calls for international aid
url = http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=78068
work = IRIN
date = 2008-05-06
accessdate = 2008-05-23 ]

ee also

*List of wars 2003-current
*Human rights in Yemen
*Military of Yemen
*Zaidiyyah

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/1706450.stm Timeline: Yemen (BBC)]
* [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79410 YEMEN: The conflict in Saada Governorate – analysis] , "IRIN", 24 July 2008