Yemen gov’t accuses Houthis of working with Al-Qaeda, Daesh

The Saudi-based Yemeni government has accused the Houthi movement of working closely with Al-Qaeda and Daesh according to an intelligence report it submitted to the UN Security Council.

“This report, which is based on confirmed intelligence information and facts, sheds light on the close relationship between the Houthi militia and both al-Qaeda and ISIS [Daesh], which is an extension of the relationship between Iran and terrorist organizations,” the publication, which was dated on Tuesday, said.

“In addition, the report shows how these militias are using their relationship with terrorist organizations to inflict more terrorism on the Yemeni people.”

It also claimed that the Houthis “manipulated and misused” information obtained after having seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.

Yemen: Al-Qaeda attacks military post, kills 12

Citing the memorandum, Al-Arabiya alleged that the Houthis freed 252 Al-Qaeda prisoners, including one of the people behind the USS Cole bombing in 2000. In January, the UN Panel of Experts also said that “ISIL [Daesh] may have affiliated themselves with those Houthis that they were fighting”.

The Houthi-aligned armed forces have clashed with both Daesh and Al-Qaeda and have in turn accused the Saudi-led coalition forces of using Al-Qaeda militants as reinforcements most recently in the Marib province, which is the remaining pro-coalition stronghold in the north. Hussein Al-Ezzi, the Houthi-led government’s deputy foreign minister, also claimed on Twitter yesterday that the UN’s silence had enabled Al-Qaeda, Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar and the Islah militia of using internally displaced people as human shields in Marib.

Last year it was reported that the emir of the Yemeni branch of Daesh, Abu Al-Walid Al-Adani, was killed in Al-Baydah province and a base belonging to an Al-Qaeda affiliate known as Ansar Al-Shariah was captured.

Houthi official: CIA asked Yemen’s Saleh to release Al-Qaeda member