Houthi threat ensures safe return of Yemeni pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia

A Yemeni Airways plane carrying pilgrims who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia landed at Sanaa International Airport on Friday evening. The arrival marks the end of a tense standoff that saw the pilgrims delayed by over a week due to obstacles imposed by Saudi authorities.

The return followed urgent warnings from the Houthi-aligned Yemeni government based in the capital. “If the Yemeni pilgrims had not been returned, Saudi Arabia’s airports would have been closed at this moment,” stated Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi’s political bureau.

The pilgrims expressed relief upon their return, following threats from Saudi Arabia to deport them to Aden Airport, the interim capital controlled by the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognised Yemeni government. The Sanaa authorities responded by issuing a three-day ultimatum for the safe return of the pilgrims to Houthi-controlled territory.

I know everyone was expecting a very big event
But what happened is really big for us Yemenis, as we have been under siege for 9 years, and the airport was under Saudi control.
We had to obtain permission from Saudi Arabia in order to be able to book a ticket to travel
Last… pic.twitter.com/ll1NfTeFVA

— Ahmed Hassan 🇾🇪 أحمد حسن زيد (@Ahmed_hassan_za) July 5, 2024

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It was the first flight from Sanaa to Saudi Arabia since 2016. Over 8,000 Yemeni pilgrims were flown to Kingdom for the annual Hajj . Houthi official Nasr El-Din Amer remarked, “Our aircraft went to transport our pilgrims and returned to its airport safely. It will be in the service of our people to various destinations, God willing. This is our right, and whoever takes away our right, we will take his life.”

On Wednesday, the Sanaa-based Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights condemned the Saudi government’s actions, calling them “an insult to the feelings of Yemenis, a violation of the noble values of the Islamic religion, and a breach of laws, treaties, humanitarian principles, and social norms.” The ministry also stressed the importance of lifting the blockade on Yemen, starting with the full reopening of Sanaa International Airport.

Despite a cessation of major airstrikes amid ongoing Omani-brokered peace talks, Saudi Arabia continues intermittent shelling in Yemen and economic interference. Yemeni leaders have consistently warned Riyadh against further aggression.

Earlier this month, a prisoner exchange deal involving the release of 50 Houthis had also been agreed upon by Saudi-backed forces in exchange for a prominent political figure.

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