Rada'a Tribes Issue 48-Hour Ultimatum to Houthis Over Killing of Local Youth

A massive funeral procession was held for Abdullah Hassan Al-Halimi in the city of Rada'a, Al-Bayda Governorate, on Sunday morning, drawing large crowds from local tribes amid clear expressions of anger.

The funeral procession began in the city of Dhamar, passed through the streets of Rada'a, and concluded at the burial site following prayers at a city mosque, attended by prominent tribal figures. Al-Halimi was killed over two weeks ago by Houthi militia security forces, led by the supervisor known as Abu Saleh Al-Riyami, who reportedly opened fire on him in the Al-Haraj market in Rada'a, resulting in his immediate death. His companion, Abdullah Al-Zailai, sustained serious injuries while attempting to resist the security detail, an incident that ignited widespread tribal outrage across the region.

Sheikh Sanad Hizam Al-Jufi, speaking on behalf of the victims' families and the residents of the Al-Hofra neighborhood, stated following the burial ceremonies that the targeting of Abdullah Al-Halimi occurred while the young man was pursuing legal action regarding the murder of his father, Sheikh Hassan Al-Halimi. The father, a respected local leader and arbiter, was killed nine months prior during a Houthi security raid on the Al-Hofra neighborhood last July.

Al-Jufi elaborated that Houthi security apparatuses, instead of providing justice to the family and pursuing the initial perpetrators, deliberately and cold-bloodedly executed the son, following the father. Speaking for the tribes of Rada'a, Al-Jufi announced a strict deadline of no more than two days for the Houthis to hand over those implicated in the crime for judicial process.

Issuing a stern warning, Al-Jufi declared, "The deadline is only two days; otherwise, the path is clear for taking retribution," signaling the tribes' intent to pursue vengeance should there be any delay in handing over the alleged killers.

Associates of the slain youth confirmed that the residents of Al-Hofra and the wider Rada'a community plan to maintain pressure through peaceful demonstrations and field escalation should the ultimatum expire without the surrender of the perpetrators for trial. This incident underscores the escalating tensions in Rada'a's Al-Hofra neighborhood, which has recently witnessed a series of deadly clashes linked to Houthi security operations, frequently accused of deliberately targeting tribal dignitaries and local residents.