Yemen’s parliament has approved a nationwide military mobilization aimed at pushing the Houthis out of the capital, Sanaa, and restoring government authority across the country. The decision was announced on Tuesday, after weeks of losses on the battlefield for forces loyal to the internationally recognized administration.
The approval came in response to a request submitted by Rashad al-Alimi, who heads the Presidential Leadership Council, the SABA news agency reported. The information was relayed by the outlet Meduza.
According to the resolution, the call-up is required to protect citizens, preserve the republican system and the constitutional order, and defend Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It entered into force on the day it was proclaimed and will stay in effect until the reasons that justified it disappear.
Sanaa since 2014 and a promise of amnesty
Al-Alimi said the objective of the mobilization is to recapture Sanaa, which has remained under Houthi control since 2014, and to return the whole of Yemen to government rule.
– All possible contribution must be made in the fight against the Houthis – said President Rashad al-Alimi.
The president had already urged citizens to mobilize a week earlier. He also promised amnesty for members of Ansar Allah, the armed wing of the Houthi movement, who decide to join the government’s forces.
Houthi advances along the coastline
Meduza points out that the situation of government troops has worsened considerably over the past few weeks. In early September the Houthis took the port and the city of Mokha.
Seven days later the rebels controlled the entire coast, including the Bab-el-Mandab strait, a passage that grew in importance once the Strait of Hormuz was blocked.
The Houthis have intensified their offensive against government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. In mid-September they reported launching dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at the Khamis Mushait military base in southern Saudi Arabia.
Houthi drones also struck the Saudi East-West pipeline and its pumping stations, which brought the transport of oil to a halt.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
