Sunday Papers: The Zaydis

Despite the recent truce between the government and the Huthis in the north, things are far from settled.

Today, the Huthis announced that they were vacating 20 positions around the city of Sa’dah – many of these strategically important – but the newly appointed governor of Sa’dah, Taha Hajir, greeted the news with comments on how slowly the Huthis were implementing the six points.

Hizb al-Haqq also made noise today condemning a move by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, which it claimed is being made to undermine Zaydis in Yemen. Hizb al-Haqq paid particular attention to the Great Mosque, which was at the heart of events leading up to the first al-Huthi war in 2004.

Finally, the head of the local council in Sa ‘dah gave this interview to al-Ghad. Much of what he said was predictable, but I found it interesting who was saying it. The al-‘Imad family is an intriguing one in Zaydi politics.

And last, but not least, in AQ news a German citizen of African (read, I believe, Somali) descent attempted to shoot his way out of the Republican Hospital in San’a today. The suspect, who is being identified as Sharif Mubayli, was unsuccessful in his bid to escape but he did kill one guard from the PSO.