Yemen

See also Saudi Arabia attacks Yemen

Explainers of the recent history of the Yemeni conflict

 * Video: Yemen - 28 years of history explained Geo History July 19, 2018 The unification of the Soviet allied South Yemen with the islamic North Yemen, Presidents Salah and Hadi, the emergence of the Houthis in the north and the southern seperatists, AQAP, tensions within the coalition between UAE and Saudia Arabia
 * Video: Yemen's complicated war explained TRT World August 10, 2018 Outlines some political developments and shifting alliances - although weaker on wider context.
 * Yemen War: Introductory articles, overviews, for those who are still unfamiliar with the Yemen war Dietrich Klose Der Freitag community
 * Why Is Yemen Ignored When Syria Dominates The Headlines? Jay Tharrapel Fort Russ January 22, 2019
 * Yemen demystified: An unwinnable war of plunder that could bring down the Saudis Joe Gill, MEE February 5, 2019
 * Blumi, a lecturer in Turkish studies at Stockholm University, wants to upend the western and Arabic media narrative of the Yemen war. Instead of the “internationally recognised government of Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi” fighting “Iran-backed Houthi rebels” (AFP's favoured framing), the author describes a war with origins a century old that has little or nothing to do with Iranian expansion or terrorism, and everything to do with eliminating resistance to the western-backed Arab Gulf states.

Makeup of the coalition attacking Yemen


French and Israeli presence has also been reported - see below.
 * As recorded by the Yemen Data project the military coalition attacking Yemen is led by Saudi Arabia... also includes participation from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. The military coalition is backed by the United States and the United Kingdom with the US providing intelligence and logistical support, and the US and UK also having their military personnel deployed in the Saudi command-and-control centre for coalition airstrikes.


 * On February 7, 2019, Morocco quits the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and withdraws its ambassador from Riyadh.

Who are the 'Houthis'?

 * YEMEN’S ANSAR ALLAH MOVEMENT (HOUTHIS): WHAT IS IT? Southfront July 17, 2017

Southfront Documentary

 * THE HOUTHIS AND WAR IN YEMEN Southfront July 3, 2018 Documentary and text overview of Houthis and the conflict

Allegations of Iranian backing

 * Despite the coalition/UN blockade of ports and Saana airport being disabled claims of an arms smuggling route from Iran to the Houthis have persisted. A land route via Oman seems unlikely as the large swathe of sparsely populated territory in the east of Yemen is controlled not by the Houthi aligned forces, but by Hadi/coalition aligned forces or AQAP. According to Southfront:
 * A number of experts believe that Iran’s financial assistance does not exceed 10-20 million dollars a year. It should be noted that the Islamic Republic’s capacity to provide assistance to Yemen is now limited, as Iran is also providing financial assistance, weapon and personnel to Hezbollah as well as to Shia militias in Syria and Iraq. Moreover, Yemen is currently under a sea and land blockade. Therefore, the possibilities to assist the Houthis are severely limited. Several Iranian vessels captured by the forces of the coalition in 2014 contained rockets for multiple rocket launchers, MANPADS, RPG-7 grenade launchers, explosives, cartridges, small arms and Iranian-made night vision devices.


 * US generals: Saudi intervention in Yemen ‘a bad idea’ Al Jazeera April 17, 2018 View of American expert on Yemen Michael Horton in 2015:
 *  “These constant reports that the Houthis are working for the Iranians are nonsense, but the view is right out of the neocon playbook,” he said. “The Israelis have been touting this line that we lost Yemen to Iran. That’s absurd. The Houthis don’t need Iranian weapons. They have plenty of their own. And they don’t require military training. They’ve been fighting Al-Qaeda since at least 2012, and they’ve been winning. Why are we fighting a movement that’s fighting Al-Qaeda?”


 * Did IRGC commander say Houthis were ordered to strike tankers? Amir Toumaj, FDD's Long War Journal August 9, 2018
 * See also Iranian Missiles?

Strategic importance of the Bab al Mandab strait

 * This strait is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil, natural gas, and petroleum product shipments to Europe and North America, as well as European and North African oil exports to Asia GlobalSecurity.org
 * The daily passage of millions of barrels of oil, the maritime traffic of trade towards the Suez Canal and the Saudi Refinery in Yenbu’, and the flow of oil tankers and other commercial vessels to destinations such as China and Europe, have given special importance to the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Bab al-Mandab. The presence Somali pirates also greatly enhances the importance of stability and security in Yemen in general and the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Bab al-Mandab.Farzad Farhadi
 * Strategic importance of the Bab al Mandab straight 1991 US Army College study

Estimated Casualties

 * Yemen death toll five times higher than previous estimate, researchers say MEE october 29, 2018

Sources to follow

 * Yemen Press Reader edited by Dietrich Klose Updated Aggregate Sources (German and English)

News Agencies

 * ABYZ Web Links Yemen Newspaper and News Media Guide
 * Yemen Press Agency
 * SABA (Yemen News Agency)
 * Yemen Extra
 * Almasirah.net
 * Alahed News (Yemen)
 * Yemeni Resistence Watch
 * Al Thawra News
 * Press TV (Yemen)
 * AhlulBayt News Agency (Middle East)
 * Al Masdar News(Yemen)
 * Yemen Press News Agency

Pro Hadi

 * Alsahwa Net

Monitoring Organisations

 * Legal Centre for Rights and Development Facebook
 * Drone Warfare (Yemen)
 * Yemen Data Project Twitter feed here
 * Stop Starving Yemen Campaign website edited by Dan Glazebrook
 * YemenWar.info
 * Yemen Peace Project American campaigning/monitoring organisation

Social media

 * Living In Yemen On The Edge (Facebook Page)
 * Yemen Observer Twitter account
 * Mohamad Shami Facebook also Mohamad al Shami Facebook
 * Mohammed al Shami also Mohammed Al Shami Twitter
 * https://yemen.liveuamap.com/
 * ColonelCassad (Yemen)
 * Crimes of Saudi Arabia and UAE in Yemen Facebook page
 * Stop the War on Yemen Facebook group
 * Maher Farrukh Twitter
 * Hussain al Bukhaiti Twitter
 * Nasser Arrabyee Twitter
 * Fuad Rajeh Twitter

Analysis

 * SouthFront (Yemen)
 * Middle East Eye (Yemen War)
 * Ahmed Abdulkareem for Mint Press
 * The War on Yemen
 * American Herald Tribune (War on Yemen)
 * Geopolitics Alert (Yemen)
 * 21st Century Wire (Yemen)
 * Michael Horton, Jamestown Foundation

Warfare

 * Ex-president Saleh offers 'all Yemen's facilities' to Russia, Brian Whitaker, al-bab.com, 21 August 2016.


 * The resistance media wing captured footage of a Saudi tank crashing into one of its own vehicles, while trying to flee the battlefield in the key city of Najran. Almasdarnews report, Aug 24, 2016.


 * HSV-2 Swift recovery images show extent of damage to #UAE operated vessel from claimed #Yemen #Houthi attack, twitter post, 5 Oct., 2016
 * Weapon: unknown; a twitter user suggested Chinese C 801 anti ship missile


 * Rusvesna report, video, 21 May 2017
 * Yemeni rebels-houthis shot down an F-15 fighter of the Air Force of Saudi Arabia with an air defense missile. It is reported that the military aircraft was struck over the province of Saada, but fell in the province of Najran. Both provinces are located on the territory of the KSA. The incident occurred on the day of arrival of Donald Trump on a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The US F-15 fighter was shot down by a Soviet anti-aircraft missile. Earlier, on May 18, in Yemen, the husits were shot down by a military helicopter of the Black Hawk Saudis ("Black Hawk"), also American-made. At least 13 servicemen were killed.


 * Reports: ex-president Abdala Saleh was killed, said to be by a sniper -al-Arabia twitter & photo, quoted by TASS, 4 Dec. 2017

UAE role in Yemen



 * UAE SAYS IT CAN’T CONTROL YEMENI FORCES — EVEN AS IT HANDS THEM BAGS OF CASH Iona Craig, The Intercept June 8, 2018
 * The Saudi-UAE Alliance is the Most Dangerous Force in the Middle East Today Doug Bandow AmericanConservative June 13, 2018
 * Hodeidah Bombardment Reveals UAE’s US-Backed Rise in Regional Power Whitney Webb Mint Press News June 14, 2018
 * The UAE In Yemen: With A Lot Of Help From Its Mercs David Isenberg, LobeLog June 19, 2018

Abuse and torture claims against the UAE

 * Human Rights Watch: UAE commits torture in Yemen Middle East Monitor January 22, 2018
 * Sexual abuses rampant in UAE-controlled prisons in Yemen Maggie Michael Associated Press June 20, 2018
 * Disappearances and torture in southern Yemen detention facilities must be investigated as war crimes Amnesty International July 12, 2019


 * Brutal Torture Ongoing in UAE-Run Prison in Aden Al Masirah December 11, 2018
 * UAE accused of torture and running secret prisons Video: Jonathan Rugman, Channel 4 news December 6, 2018


 * Pictures of the torture of a young man showing the humiliation of the sons of Yemeni southern provinces Yemen Extra Jan 22, 2019
 * Yemeni mothers protest over sons held in secret UAE-run prisons Al Jazeera, Jan 28, 2019

US role in Yemen

 * Yemen Peace Project American campaigning/monitoring organisation
 * U.S.-Supported Government in Yemen Has Ties to Al-Qaeda JustSecurity April 24, 2017
 * Yemen conflict may alter US-Saudi relations Michael Horton Janes Intelligence Review 2017 (sample not full article)
 * Army Special Forces Secretly Help Saudis Combat Threat From Yemen Rebels New York Times May 3, 2018
 * Report: US Drone Attacks Killing More Civilians in Yemen Fars news Agency November 15, 2018
 * The Eye on the West Coast: This is how Americans prepare their presence Yemen Extra November 16, 2018
 * Pentagon Lies About Training Airmen From Country Accused of War Crimes for Combat Missions Mint Press, Jan 18, 2019

US Senate Bills on military aid for Saudi Coalition
See also US role in Yemen
 * Senate Votes to End Aid for Yemen Fight Over Khashoggi Killing and Saudis’ War Aims, The New York Times, December 13, 2018
 * ''The Senate voted (...) to end American military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.... Moments later, senators unanimously approved a separate resolution to hold Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia personally responsible for the death of (...) Khashoggi.... The resolution was written by Mr. Lee and Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont. It was an unusual invocation of the War Powers Act, a 1973 law by which Congress sought at the end of the Vietnam War
 * US Senate to vote on resolution to halt support to Saudi Coalition in Yemen Al Masdar January 30, 2019

UK role in Yemen

 * Historical: Yemen: Declassified http://markcurtis.info
 * Mark Curtis on Twitter, July 4, 2018
 * UK govt confirms it is storing and releasing for loading the weapons used by Saudi aircraft to bomb Yemen. Yemen is a British war and ministers are complicit in war crimes. The idea that UK is not part of the coalition is a fabricated lie that media is playing along with.


 * New documents show the UK signed up in secret to support Saudi military action MikeLewisResearch, April 29, 2018
 * Stop Starving Yemen: Britain’s role in Yemen Website for the campaign, edited by Dan Glazebrook


 * Country Policy and Information Note Yemen: Security and humanitarian situation Home Office, June 2017


 * The Guardian view on Yemen: our complicity lies bare The Guardian June 20, 2018


 * U.K Military Industrial Cartel and Tory Government Profit from Mass Murder in Yemen Vanessa Beeley, 21st Century Wire August 9, 2018


 * Britain's secret deal to train Saudi air force Larisa Browwn Daily Mail, October 16, 2018


 * Yemen: hundreds of alleged war crimes but only 79 investigations Billy Briggs The Ferret November 20, 2018


 * UK's arms export supervisor attacks NGOs over Yemen deaths The Guardian February 4, 2019
 * Graham Jones, a Labour MP and chair of the Commons committees on arms export controls (CAEC), also said that blame for the war in Yemen lay primarily with Iran, and not the west or Saudi Arabia.

Special Forces

 * SAS soldiers on aid mission injured in roadside bombing Daily Express February 17, 2019
 * Yémen : deux soldats britanniques ont été blessés Press TV, February 20, 2019
 * Our secret dirty war: Five British Special Forces troops are wounded in Yemen while 'advising' Saudi Arabia on their deadly campaign that has brought death and famine to millions Daily Mail March 24, 2019
 * 'Serious' questions over SAS involvement in Yemen war The GuardianMarch 27, 2019
 * The claims are politically difficult since ministers are eager to suggest that as the penholder on the Yemen issue at the United Nations, Britain is an honest broker in the civil war, which is now entering its fifth year since the Saudi air campaign started. The UK is known to be close to the Saudi military but denies it is involved in operations against the Houthis in Yemen.
 * UK troops accused of training child soldiers in Yemen Press TV March 28, 2019


 * See also Talk:reports nine british soldiers killed Feb 23, 2019

Relationship with Saudi Arabia, BAE systems

 * UK PM’s husband’s Capital Group is largest shareholder in BAE, shares soar since Syrian airstrikes RT April 17, 2018
 * Mr Ethical on Twitter Theresa May's husband's company is the largest shareholder in BAE Systems, largest arms supplier to Saudi Arabia. Osborne's Blackrock is 5th.


 * Theresa May’s Husband’s firm PROFITED from Saudi massacre of 40 school children in Yemen Evolve Politics August 21, 2018


 * Head of UK defence firm BAE criticises Riyadh over Khashoggi and Yemen war MEE January 26, 2019
 * BAE concerned that the continuing Saudi war, although justifiable, might be bad PR for their Saudi business partners,


 * February 2019: The UK defends its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia and seeks with the US the removal of Saudi Arabia from a proposed EU money laundering blacklist. Brussels’ decision to include Riyadh has caused a spat between the commission and the EU’s biggest member states that are opposed to Europe taking a tougher stance against anti-money laundering than other global authorities. The Saudi government and its allies including the US have also lobbied Brussels to remove Riyadh from the list, said officials.
 * Uprising Today: This could increase tensions between the kingdom and the EU, which has already called on its member states to halt arms sales to Riyadh over the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.


 * UK's Saudi weapons sales unlawful, Lords committee finds The Guardian February 16, 2019
 * The Government asserts that, in its licensing of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, it is narrowly on the right side of international humanitarian law.’ But, the Committee members note, in their opinion, ‘Although conclusive evidence is not yet available, we assess that it [the Government] is narrowly on the wrong side: given the volume and type of arms being exported to the Saudi-led coalition, we believe they are highly likely to be the cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen, risking the contravention of international humanitarian law.’The situation was discussed at the House of Lords.

French involvement

 * La France participerait activement mais «discrètement» à la guerre au Yémen aux côtés des Saoudiens RT Francais May 12, 2016
 * French special forces on the ground in Yemen — Le Figaro Gulf News June 16, 2018
 * French Special Forces on the Ground in Yemen Jason Ditz, Anti media, June 16, 2018


 * Yemen’s Navy Captures French Vessel Laden with Foreign Mercenaries Ahmed Abdulkareem Mint Press June 18, 2018
 * French Special Forces on the Ground in Yemen Jason Ditz Anti media, June 16, 2018

Israeli influence?

 * Decisive Storm fuels Obama-Netanyahu dispute Al Araby March 30, 2015
 * The « Arab » Common Defence Force Thierry Meyssan May 14, 2015
 *  Israël was the first state to recognîse Somaliland. Currently, this state is no longer recognised by anyone, but since 2010, it acts as an Israeli base to control the Bab el-Mandeb Straits which link the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.


 * The secret projects of Israël and Saudi Arabia Thierry Meyssan Voltaire Network June 27, 2015
 * Ansarullah Chief: Israeli Fighters Fly over Hudaydah amid Saudi Push to Seize City Fars News June 3, 2018
 * Poland: Israel reveals its military hand in Yemen Voltaire Network February 15, 2019
 * Yemen’s War Is a Mercenary Heaven. Are Israelis Reaping the Profits? Zvi Bar'el Haaretz February 17, 2019

Coalition collabaration with AQAP

 * BBC Film Maker Discovers Saudi, UAE Cooperation With al-Qaeda In Yemen Brandon Turberville, Feb 24, 2016

ISIS presence

 * An Unholy Alliance: Did the US-Backed UAE Fly ISIS Leaders into Yemen’s Killing Fields? Alexander Rubinstein, Mint Press, March 5, 2019

Weapons traffic

 * U.S. Navy says it seized weapons from Iran likely bound for Houthis in Yemen-Reuters, April 4, 2016
 * ''U.S. Navy ships in the Arabian Sea intercepted and seized an arms shipment from Iran likely bound for Houthi fighters in Yemen, the military said...The weapons seized last week by the warships Sirocco and Gravely were hidden on a small dhow and included 1,500 AK-47 rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, and 21 .50-caliber machine guns, according to the Navy statement...The boat, which the Navy described as stateless, and its crew were allowed to leave once the weapons were taken.
 * UN investigators check weapons seized by Navy warship, by Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press. Navy Times, October 25, 2018
 * ''...U.N. inspectors boarded the American guided-missile destroyer, to examine the more than 2,500 guns the crew seized in late August and determine if suspicions are true that the weapons originated in Iran. U.S. officials have long accused Iran of smuggling arms across the waters to Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels, who have held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since September 2014. But they have only managed to seize a handful of weapons caches in recent years, underscoring the difficulties in tracking down arms smugglers working the vast waters around Yemen. “It’s one big traffic corridor,” Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, commander of U.S. 5th Fleet, told reporters Thursday. “It’s not blocked, and it’s not just lines on a map that people don’t penetrate.”
 * Yemen: inquiry finds Saudis diverting arms to factions loyal to their cause Rod Austin The Guardian November 28, 2018
 * Yemen: The devastating war waged with European weapons Deutsche Welle November 30, 2018
 * Sold to an ally, lost to an enemy Nima Elbagir, Salma Abdelaziz, Mohamed Abo El Gheit and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN February 4, 2019
 * Saudi Arabia and the UAE have used the US-manufactured weapons as a form of currency to buy the loyalties of militias or tribes, bolster chosen armed actors, and influence the complex political landscape

World Food Programme

 * World Food Program, Bribed By Saudis, Threatens Yemenis With More Famine Moon of Alabama Januray 1, 2019
 * AP Investigation: Food aid stolen as Yemen starves Maggie Michael Associated press December 31, 2019
 * Al-Houthi: “Position of WFP Based on Untrue Procedures Which Shows their Real Hidden Aim” January 1, 2018

Abuse claims against Houthis

 * Yemen: Houthi Hostage-Taking - Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Enforced Disappearance Go Unpunished Human Rights Watch, September 24, 2018
 * Al Houthis accused of hostage-taking, torture Gulf News, September 25, 2018
 * SAM Rights and Liberties