News coming out of Yemen continues to point to a breakdown of state institutions and worsening sectarian competition. Since the 2011 revolution that brought down the Ali Abdullah Saleh regime, various sectarian and tribal groups have been jockeying for power. For now, that competition is being won by the Houthis, who now control most of the capital and other parts of Yemen. Their hold on power is being challenged by al-Qaeda groups, who have made some advances recently. Then there are the southerners, who have long held secessionist views and are now stirring once more. Amid all this commotion, various commentators have wondered what role the Saudis and the Iranians have played — if any — and whether the international community ought to begin considering what to do if Yemen joins the growing list of failed states in the region.
Commenting on the growing power of Houthi fighters, Yemen Times’ Nasser Al-Sakkaf reports on the concerns of the residents of Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, many of whom are uncomfortable with what appears to be a silent take-over of the military and police functions in the capital: “Security personnel manning checkpoints around the capital have disappeared and been replaced by armed members from the Houthis, who call themselves ‘Ansar Allah,’ or ‘Supporters of God.’... While there remains a notable presence of rebels dressed in traditional garb, in recent weeks it has become increasingly common to see armed Houthis wearing military uniformsAli Al-Imad, a member of the Houthis’ Political Office, confirmed that ‘Ansar Allah is wearing the uniforms as part of the deal that was made with the government to keep the states appearance in Sana’a city.’ He said the government does have a plan to accommodate Houthis into the military, but refused to disclose any further details of the deal.”