Houthi militia forces have imposed a tight siege on the Bani Sharan area in Arhab, north of Sana'a, accompanied by raids and intrusions into citizens' homes. The operation, secured by extensive drone surveillance, has led to the abduction of civilians and punitive measures against residents and their farmlands. Local sources in Sana'a Governorate reported on Monday that the military campaign, led by several Houthi field supervisors including individuals identified as Mohammed Mujahid bin Haidar Al-Sufyani, Abu Abdullah Al-Jaysh Al-Sufyani, and Abu Hammoud Al-Hamzi, surrounded the area from multiple directions. The presence of drones overhead facilitated the advance of armed elements and the apprehension of civilians. According to local residents, the campaign included retaliatory actions and violations against the inhabitants and their agricultural lands. Militants reportedly blocked roads leading to farmlands and prevented irrigation water from reaching qat farms, which constitute the primary source of income for the local population. The forces also looted solar power systems and generators, confiscated several vehicles, and expelled farmers and local partners, vandalizing their property. Tribal sources accused the Houthi leadership overseeing the campaign of bias and partiality towards tribal factions from the Sufyan district of Amran Governorate. These sources allege that the militia's military resources are being employed to settle scores and resolve disputes between the two sides. These escalating developments follow accusations by Sufyan tribes against the residents of Wadi Sharan, implicating them in the deaths of two individuals. One victim, from the Jabal area in Sufyan, was allegedly killed intentionally, while the other, from the Mahweet Governorate, died accidentally, both by gunfire from militants from Arhab. This incident is reportedly a tribal retaliation for the killing of an individual from the Al-Sharan family approximately two years ago, whose body was subsequently held by the Houthi militia, amid a lack of judicial or tribal resolutions to halt the bloodshed between the two regions. |
