US sanctions on Abdulmalik Al Houthi, his brother Abd Al Khaliq Badr Al Din Al Houthi and Abdullah Yahya Al Hakim in conjunction with the UN move cite their use of “violence and other means, [to] undermine the political process in Yemen and obstruct the implementation of its political transition.”
Here is a look at who the three men are, and the roles they played in the Yemeni conflict leading up to their classification as Global Terrorists.
Abdulmalik Al Houthi
Abdulmalik Al Houthi, brother of the Houthi movement s founder Hossein Al Houthi, was a key player in building the movement from a small group of Zaydi sect members to a force that has taken over large parts of Yemen.
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Yemen s internationally recognised government on Monday welcomed Washington s decision to designate the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and their leaders as global terrorists, effective from January 19.
The announcement was made only 10 days before US President Donald Trump leaves office. The designations are intended to hold Ansar Allah accountable for its terrorist acts, including cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure and commercial shipping, said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, using the Houthis official name.
The rebels have led a brutal campaign that has killed many people, continues to destabilise the region and denies Yemenis a peaceful solution to the conflict in their country, Mr Pompeo said.
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Regional, social, political and economic co-operation are on the agenda for the Gulf Cooperation Council when they meet on January 5. But, the main topic is expected to be ways to resolve the Qatar crisis and regional responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said recently that a solution to the 3-year-old dispute with Doha was within reach after Kuwait and the US announced progress in talks. The UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have all backed the initiative.
The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said that it was crucial to find ways to ensure Qatar’s compliance with terms of any deal if one is reached.