As living conditions deteriorate and job opportunities shrink in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the group is stepping up purchases of motorcycles from markets in Sanaa and other cities for distribution to its militants on the front lines, driving up prices and making the vehicles increasingly unaffordable for young people who depend on them for their livelihoods.
Informed sources in Sanaa told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthis had allocated funds to purchase hundreds of motorcycles over the past two weeks in Sanaa, Amran, Hodeidah, Dhamar and Ibb for use in military operations.
The sources said increased demand had pushed up prices and reduced supply, making it harder for residents, particularly workers and low-income young people, to purchase motorcycles and earn enough to support their families.
According to the sources, the move followed the group's failure to recruit a number of motorcycle owners and riders in Sanaa and other cities, prompting it to buy the vehicles directly from local markets and distribute them to its militants for use on the front lines.
The sources linked the intensified purchases to airstrikes targeting Houthi reinforcements and vehicles in recent weeks, as well as severe fuel shortages.
They said motorcycles allow militants to travel through ravines, dry riverbeds and rugged terrain that heavy military vehicles struggle to navigate. They are also used to transport militants and supplies to the front lines and evacuate the dead and wounded.
The use of motorcycles in combat operations is not new for the Houthis. The group has relied on them across several fronts throughout the years of war, taking advantage of their small size and maneuverability.
According to the sources, motorcycles continue to be used on the Taiz, Al-Dhalea and western coast fronts, while the Houthis seek to acquire additional vehicles to support their military movements.
New Competition for a Source of Livelihood
The Houthi purchases have created new competition for a vehicle that many residents consider an affordable means of earning a living, at a time when employment opportunities are dwindling and living costs are rising.
Residents of Sanaa told Asharq Al-Awsat that motorcycles are more than a means of transportation. They represent an investment in small businesses and a direct source of income, whether through delivery services, transporting goods or commuting to work.
They warned that rising prices threaten to deprive more young people and workers of employment opportunities that depend on motorcycle ownership.
A motorcycle showroom owner in southern Sanaa said Houthi supervisors had purchased dozens of motorcycles from his business over the past two weeks.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the owner said motorcycle prices ranged from 280,000 to 500,000 Yemeni rials per vehicle, depending on the model and specifications. The exchange rate imposed by the Houthis stands at approximately 530 rials to the US dollar.
He added that demand had increased in recent days as the group intensified efforts to supply its front-line forces.
The showroom owner said the surge in purchases had driven up prices and further weakened the ability of residents, particularly low-income young people, to acquire motorcycles and use them to support their families.
For many, he added, securing the initial capital needed to start even a small business has become increasingly difficult.
