Houthi Rebels Reject Yemen’s New PM-Appointee

Accuse US of Trying to Impose Candidate

The Shi’ite Houthi rebels, who continue to control the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa, have threatened to resume “revolutionary” activities today after the appointment of Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak as prime minister.

Mubarak had previously served as director to President Hadi’s personal office, and was spurned by the Houthis’ political backers, who accused the US embassy of trying to impose him as the new premier.

Other members of Ansarullah, the Houthi political bureau, put the blame of Hadi himself, saying that he picked the inexperienced Mubarak after his previous suggestions, also all inexperienced allies of his, were rejected by his political allies.

Mubarak’s only political experience was as the head of the “conference of national dialogue” in 2013, a group Hadi promised would bring about reform, but which collapsed fairly quickly without accomplishing anything.

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.