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Abdel Malik al-Houthi Chooses His Uncle to Succeed Him

Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
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Abdel Malik al-Houthi Chooses His Uncle to Succeed Him

Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat

Houthi group Leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi has chosen his uncle Abdel Karim al-Houthi as his successor in case he dies or gets killed, informed sources in Sanaa told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He authorized him to manage most of the group's affairs in Sanaa and the rest of the provinces while maintaining a small margin for his cousin Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the so-called Supreme Revolutionary Committee, and his brother Abdel Khaliq al-Houthi.

The sources said that the death of the leader in the group and former President of Yemen's Supreme Political Council Saleh al-Sammad forced Houthis and their leader to appoint a successor in anticipation of his death or assassination in any operation.

News circulated said that the leader of the Houthi group summoned several weeks ago his consultative council, which includes a number of the group’s leaders whose role is equivalent to that of the Expediency Council in Iran, and pointed to the importance of choosing a successor for himself to carry out most of his supervisory duties in order to avoid the struggle among the group’s members after his death.

Houthi chose his uncle to succeed him and assume his duties after being supported by most of his advisers, sources stressed.

The Leader’s decision, according to sources, was opposed by his brother and Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, who was preparing himself to succeed his cousin.

Notably, most of the group’s elements and their leader are included in UN Security Council sanctions list and those wanted by the Saudi-led Coalition.

In order to convince his brother and cousin of his decision, sources reported that Houthi has granted some of the political and media authorities to Mohammed Ali, including the ability to make decisions in regards to the Revolutionary Committee and the proposal to appoint leaders from outside the circle of the group.

He also granted his brother powers in terms of military affairs.

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Former Regime Elements, Drug Traffickers Targeted in Western Homs and Damascus Campaigns

The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
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Former Regime Elements, Drug Traffickers Targeted in Western Homs and Damascus Campaigns

The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).
The Anti-Narcotics Department seizes a drug depot belonging to Maher al-Assad in the Sabura area in the Damascus countryside (Ministry of Interior).

The Syrian Military Operations Administration has been pressing its security campaigns aimed at disarming former regime militia remnants and combating drug traffickers across Syria.

On Tuesday, for the third time, the administration, in collaboration with the General Security Directorate, launched a large-scale operation in western rural Homs. The campaign focused on the villages of Jabbourin Rafain, Al-Haysa, Jabbourin, Qaniyat Al-Assi, Tasnin, Kafrnan, Akrad Al-Dasniya, and their surroundings. Simultaneous campaigns were conducted in Aleppo’s Nairab district, Jaramana in the Damascus countryside, and northern Daraa.

Security sources said the operation in rural Homs targets “remnants of Assad militias who refused to surrender their weapons, arms depots, drug dealers, and traffickers,” according to an official statement from the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Military reinforcements were dispatched to support the campaign in the targeted areas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the operation in the village of Jabbourin in rural Hama marked the second such operation within a week. The observatory noted that several civilians and military personnel, including those who had reconciled with the government, were arrested. Some detainees were later released, while others remain under investigation.

Residents in rural Homs expressed significant concern about the proliferation of weapons, incidents of abductions, and the escalating fear of retribution. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, they noted a prevailing sense of unease and insecurity, as anonymous actors exploit the current chaos to fuel tensions and instability.

The General Security Directorate in Homs has urged residents in western rural Homs villages and towns to fully cooperate with its forces and the Military Operations Administration to ensure the success of the campaign’s objectives.

In Daraa, southern Syria, the Daraa 24 network reported that the General Security Directorate carried out a raid in the city of Izraa, north of Daraa. During the operation, large quantities of weapons were seized, and warnings were issued to individuals still in possession of firearms to surrender them “to preserve the region’s security and stability.”

An earlier security operation in the Lajat region, located between the Suwayda and Daraa governorates, resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals described as former regime remnants, drug traffickers, and arms dealers. The Syrian Interior Ministry also announced the arrest of “remnant elements and members of a gang involved in the theft of weapons from a warehouse in the Mazraa project area of Damascus.”

Meanwhile, the General Security Directorate released several former regime elements in Damascus after verifying their lack of involvement in violations against the Syrian people. According to local sources cited by Syrian Television, several conscripts detained in Adra Prison in Damascus were freed on Tuesday, with additional releases expected in the coming days.

Last week, the General Security Directorate released 360 detainees, including former regime officers, out of approximately 800 people arrested as part of the Homs security campaign. Following investigations, the authorities confirmed that those individuals were not in possession of weapons and had pledged not to engage in activities against the new Syrian administration.