A local source in Ibb Governorate, central Yemen, reported that a merchant was injured by gunfire from a Houthi gang amidst escalating security instability in the province. The source stated that a merchant identified as Yassin Sinan Al-Tayeb sustained gunshot wounds from an armed gang affiliated with the Houthi militia, which engages in looting and extortion. The incident occurred on the main road connecting the Al-Saḥūl area with Ibb city, the provincial capital. Al-Tayeb was reportedly injured while returning from Ibb city towards his shop, located in the Al-Makhādir district's Mufrāq Ḥabīsh area, north of the governorate. The armed group intercepted the merchant's vehicle on the main road between Ibb and Al-Saḥūl, attempting to halt him for the purpose of robbery. The merchant reportedly refused to stop. Subsequently, the gang opened fire on Al-Tayeb, who was then transported to a hospital in Ibb city in critical condition. The source confirmed the gang's close ties to the Houthi militia, noting their pattern of extortion, looting, and robbery against travelers and merchants on the main road between Ibb city and Al-Saḥūl, using the latter as a base. Ibb Governorate is currently experiencing a period of severe security breakdown, characterized by a surge in crime, killings, looting, and property theft affecting citizens across various districts of the province. |
