Houthis open fire on protest in Yemen's Ibb

Militants from Yemen’s Shia Houhti movement on Sunday opened fire on an anti-Houthi demonstration in the central Ibb province, a security source has said.

“Houthi militants opened fire on dozens of protesters near the police headquarters of Ibb city,” the source, who requested anonymity, told Anadolu Agency.

“They [Houthis] forcibly dispersed the demonstration and abducted several protesters,” he said, adding that no casualties were reported as result of the shooting.

Houthi leaders could not be reached for a comment on the source’s assertions.

The incident came one day after militants bearing weapons emblazoned with the Houthi insignia wounded three protesters when they opened fire and forcibly dispersed a protest in the same city.

Protesters had roamed several of Ibb’s streets to denounce what they described as a “Houthi coup” against state institutions and called for the expulsion of Houthi militants from provinces under their control.

The Houthis emerged as a formidable political and military force in Yemen after assuming control of capital Sanaa last September before moving on to establish control over other parts of the country.

Earlier this month, the Houthi leadership issued a “constitutional declaration” dissolving parliament and establishing a 551-member “transitional council.”

According to the declaration, pro-Houthi “revolutionary committees” will form a transitional council to replace the dissolved assembly.

Fractious Yemen has remained in the throes of political turmoil since autocratic President Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down in 2012 following a months-long popular uprising against his 33 years in power.