Yemen’s Houthis Tighten Grip as Death Toll Estimates Mount

Medical Officials: 200 More Bodies Recovered After Week of Fighting

Yemen’s Houthi rebels are shoring up their control of the capital city of Sanaa today after seizing several government buildings last night. The Shi’ite tribal faction is backing protesters who had been calling for regime change in the city, and is also moving harshly against the Sunni-dominated military leadership.

Fighting stalled on Monday, as the Houthis set up checkpoints around the city and military leaders went into hiding. The Houthis claim a deal to see a new “technocratic government’ appointed within a month.

After President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was installed in a single-candidate vote, he set up a mostly powerless government  and tried to maintain considerable direct control. The new government reportedly will include both significant numbers of Shi’ite minority politicians and secessionist figures from southern Yemen.

In the meantime, with locals fearing violence could again erupt at any minute, medical officials are clearing the streets of corpses left rotting in the streets from the week of fighting. 200 more bodies were recovered today, bringing the confirmed death toll to 340 from the fighting.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.