Yemen’s Marib Governor Maj. Sultan Al-Aradah, who survived an assassination attempt by Houthi militias a month ago, confidently reaffirmed that Marib has overcome the ordeal it had undergone during the past two years.
Aradah said that the role played by the Giants Brigades, backed by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition, in the neighboring Shabwah governorate helped bring about outstanding achievements that eased the pressure placed on Marib.
“The war is still going on, and areas are being cleansed one after another. What happened in Shabwah was a great achievement,” Aradah told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He thanked the Giants Brigades for their efforts and recalled that Marib is the basic building block of the Houthis’ state-building project. Without Marib, Iran-backed Houthi militias will not have the state they are seeking.
“There is no doubt that the liberation process continues, but the Houthis focus on Marib differently than any other region,” said Aradah.
“People’s knowledge of these militias and the ideas that they impose on people made Yemeni rise up and stand as one,” said Aradah about the secret of Marib’s resilience for the past 16 months.
As for the refugee situation in Marib, Aradah noted although many had fled to the governorate from all over Yemen, internal displacement is just as rife.
“The number of displaced Yemenis is very large. According to last year’s statistics, Marib hosted over two million refugees. The numbers have increased since then in addition to internal displacement across Marib’s districts,” said Aradah.
The governor noted that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) plays a major role in supporting refugees and displaced Yemenis in Marib.
Moreover, Aradah did not forget to mention the great role played by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition in supporting Marib.
Besides air force backing, the Arab Coalition is responsible for logistics and humanitarian support in Yemen.
“There is great and continuous support, and we hope it will continue and increase,” affirmed Aradah.
When asked about the continued bombardment of Marib with Houthi ballistic missiles, Aradah reminded that the attacks are only “killing the innocent, children and women.”
He added that the missiles dropping were damaging buildings and markets, and that this goes to show Houthi hostile behavior.
Concerning living conditions in Marib, Aradah noted that the governorate is a part of Yemen and therefore is suffering from the overall economic situation of the country.
“Marib is suffering at this stage from the economic situation, particularly from the collapse of the Yemeni currency,” said Aradah, urging the government and allies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE to stand by Marib in its “suffocating economic crisis.”
As for Marib’s role in supplying Houthi-run areas with gas, Aradah confirmed that the governorate continues to give gas to Yemeni households living under Houthi oppression out of moral obligation despite the ongoing war.
“Services reach everywhere, up to Maran, and to the cave of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi,” said Aradah.
Aradah believes that the Houthis and those behind them should realize that the Yemenis “will not be ruled by force of arms.”
“We will only be governed through the Yemeni constitution and consensus among all the people of Yemen,” said Aradah, calling on Iran to stop spilling Arab blood, especially in Yemen.
The governor reminded that history “will not forget this aggression carried out by Iran at the expense of the peoples of our Arab nation.”
Concerning the Marib-based MASAM project for clearing mines in Yemeni territory, Aradah said that its achievements will be remembered by future generations.
MASAM is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz to help ease Yemeni suffering.
