Houthi Escalation Uproots 44,000 in Yemen’s Marib

A view of a makeshift camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the oil-producing Marib province, Yemen May 10, 2021. (Reuters)
A view of a makeshift camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the oil-producing Marib province, Yemen May 10, 2021. (Reuters)
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Houthi Escalation Uproots 44,000 in Yemen’s Marib

A view of a makeshift camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the oil-producing Marib province, Yemen May 10, 2021. (Reuters)
A view of a makeshift camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the oil-producing Marib province, Yemen May 10, 2021. (Reuters)

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that 44,000 people were displaced this year alone by the military escalation by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen. The uprooting continues as the government warns against the deteriorating situation in the Marib governorate’s west and south.

Around 4,000 families are stuck in Marib’s Abdiya district, where pro-government forces are fighting off Houthi militias.

This comes as Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak warned of the “dangerous repercussions” of the Houthis’ escalating offensive against civilians and displaced people in Marib.

During a meeting with the chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission for Yemen, Christa Rottensteiner, bin Mubarak said that the Houthis’ military escalation “exacerbates the difficult humanitarian conditions of the displaced, especially in Marib, which is home to more than two million displaced people.”

He also warned that “the international community’s disregard for such practices allows the Houthis to commit more violence and violations against civilians, which compounds the displacement crisis, forces displacement of civilians, and increases their human suffering.”

In September, Marib’s south witnessed the displacement of over 3,000 families.

While bin Mubarak praised the role played by the IOM in alleviating the tragic conditions faced by the displaced, he pointed to the need for intensifying the organization’s work in the interim capital, Aden, and other liberated governorates.

Meanwhile, in its weekly situation overview on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, OCHA stated that intense fighting continues across Marib, with hostilities particularly prevalent in Sirwah, Rahbah, and Mahliyah districts.

The report revealed that since the beginning of the Houthi military escalation in January, around 44,000 people have been displaced.

As for Abdiya in southern Marib, around 4,000 families are stuck in war zones. More so, the report revealed that local sources had spotted heavy sniper fire targeting convoys transporting medical supplies and essential commodities to Abdiya.



Sudan's Foreign Ministry Condemns Nairobi Meetings as Army Vows Retaliation

Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
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Sudan's Foreign Ministry Condemns Nairobi Meetings as Army Vows Retaliation

Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)
Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Yasir Al-Atta (Sudan News Agency)

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has downplayed meetings held in Nairobi, Kenya, to sign a political charter that would pave the way for the establishment of a government in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.

This proposed government would act as a parallel authority to the military-backed administration based in Port Sudan, the country’s temporary capital.

The Foreign Ministry dismissed the initiative as a “propaganda stunt” and warned of potential measures to restore order.

The Sudanese army also vowed to confront supporters of the new government and to purge the country of RSF forces.

Speaking at a rally in the northern city of Al-Dabba, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, General Yasir Al-Atta, stated that the military is preparing to “cleanse” the country of RSF forces and retake all areas under their control.

His remarks marked the first direct military response to the Nairobi meetings, which are backed by the RSF and seek to establish a so-called “Government of Peace and Unity.”

This coalition consists of political and civil groups, armed movements, and RSF representatives, positioning itself as an alternative to the military-led government in Port Sudan.

In a strongly worded statement, Al-Atta vowed to fight those attempting to establish the parallel government. “To those who claim to be forming a parallel government, we will fight you in every inch of Sudanese territory. We will show you that the Sudanese nation has lions with sharp claws and fangs,” he said.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry dismissed the Nairobi meetings as a “mere propaganda event” with no real impact. It also hinted at possible actions to restore order.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, the ministry expressed regret over Kenya’s decision to host the signing of what it called a political agreement between the “terrorist RSF militia” and its allies. It accused Kenya of violating international law, United Nations principles, and the founding charter of the African Union.

Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the signing of the political charter was postponed to Friday following the participation of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, led by Abdelaziz Adam Al-Hilu. Additional military and civilian factions are expected to join the initiative to establish a government in RSF-controlled areas, running parallel to the administration led by Army Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan in Port Sudan.

The Foreign Ministry warned that the stated goal of the agreement—to form a government on Sudanese territory—amounts to an attempt to divide the country, undermine its sovereignty, and interfere in its internal affairs. It also accused Kenya of “harboring RSF leaders and allowing them to engage in public political and propaganda activities,” arguing that this effectively encourages continued crimes against civilians, including massacres and genocide.

Furthermore, the ministry accused the Kenyan government of violating principles of good neighborliness and contradicting previous commitments made at the highest levels not to allow hostile activities against Sudan from its territory.

The ministry asserted that the Nairobi meetings would have no real impact, emphasizing the Sudanese army’s determination to reclaim all land from what it described as the “terrorist militia and its foreign mercenaries.”

It also called on the international community to condemn Kenya’s actions, warning that Sudan would take the necessary steps to correct the situation.

Kenya Faces Domestic Criticism

Kenya has also faced internal criticism for hosting an event organized by the RSF to announce a parallel government, with some accusing it of irresponsibility and “covering up” criminal activities.

Two sources involved in organizing the event told Agence France Presse that RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), who has remained largely out of sight throughout the war, has arrived in Kenya and is expected to attend the official announcement on Friday.

Kenya has historically hosted several regional peace agreements, including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan 20 years ago, which ended a previous civil war. However, a lawyer working with the International Refugee Organization, a human rights group, stated that Kenya’s latest move “undermines” the positive image it seeks to project.