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Houthis ban ‘tarawih’ prayers in Sana’a

May 30, 2017 at 12:25 pm

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have banned the “tarawih” prayers in Sana’a, Gulf News has reported. The prayers are traditionally read in mosques after the usual night prayer during the month of Ramadan.

The Houthis have also notified Imams to cancel any religious sermons or lectures inside mosques, and forced them to sign a pledge to commit to the ban. It has, apparently, been introduced in a bid to prevent the population praying against the Houthi group and their rule in the Yemeni capital. Tarawih prayers, it is claimed, will only be allowed in Sana’a if supplications are made in favour of the rebels and their allies.

Hundreds of religious preachers have fled Sana’a since the Houthis took control of Sana’a. Others have been arrested and, it is alleged, tortured.