SA'DAH CONFLICT

The 'Sa'dah conflict' began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, head of the Shī‘a Zeidi 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 accuses the Iranian government of directing and financing the insurgency.^[1]

Contents

Timeline

See also

References

External links

Timeline

From June to August 2004, government troops battled supporters of al-Houthi in the north.^[2]
Estimates of the dead range from 80 to more than 600. In September, Yemeni forces killed al-Houthi.^[3]
Since then, the rebellion is led by his son, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.^[4]
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.^[5]
A new spate of fighting broke out in late December 2006.^[6]
On January 28 2007, when militants attacked multiple government installations, killing six soldiers and injuring 20 more.^[7]
Further attacks on January 31 left six more soldiers dead and 10 wounded.^[8]
A further ten soldiers died and 20 were wounded in an attack on an army roadblock near the Saudi Arabian border on February 1.^[9]
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.^[10]
In February, the government launched a major offensive against the rebels involving 30,000 troops.^[11]
By February 19, almost 200 members of the security forces and over 100 rebels had died in the fighting.^[12]
A further 160 rebels were killed in the subsequent two weeks.^[13]
A ceasefire agreement was reached on 16 June 2007, thus ending the conflict. 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.^[14]

See also

★ Human rights in Yemen

★ Military of Yemen

★ Zaidiyyah

References

1. Yemen Accuses Iran of Meddling in its Internal Affairs, , Gregory D., Johnsen, Terrorism Focus,
2. Clashes 'leave 118 dead' in Yemen
3. Yemeni forces kill rebel cleric
4. Rebellion continues Nasser Arrabyee
5. Yemen tells Shi'ite rebels to disband or face war
6. 95 Killed in Yemen Clashes Khaled Al-Mahdi
7. 'Shia gunmen' kill Yemeni troops
8. Shi'ite rebels kill six Yemen soldiers - Web site
9. Yemeni soldiers killed in attack
10. 10 soldiers killed in attack in Yemen
11. Yemen's rebels undefeated Nasser Arrabyee
12. More than 100 killed in 5 days of clashes between army and Shiite rebels clashes in Yemen, officials say
13. 160 rebels killed in Yemen
14. Yemen's government, Shiite rebels negotiate end to 3-year conflict Ahmed Al-Hajj

External links

★ Timeline: Yemen (BBC)