Irreconcilable Sectarian Violence Deepening Crisis in Yemen

Crisis in Yemen escalated as the air strikes flagged off by Saudi Arabia showed no signs of remission. Slowly countries began recalling their officials, ordering closure of embassies and revving up evacuation operations.  Air strikes aimed at pounding the targets of Houthi rebels have intensified over the last three days. In the meanwhile the Arab League Summit urgently summoned the heads of the states for a meeting which agreed on a united military force to continue the offensive against Houthi rebels. Contemporaneously the chances of restoration of peace are almost bleak and symptomatic of the malaise plaguing the Middle East.  Unfortunately Yemen war is a fall out a sectarian violence.

Arab Spring phenomenon of 2011 emboldened by the universal themes of political rights, dignity and economic opportunity spear-headed the annihilation of autocratic regimes. Yemen the Southern strategic neighbour of the Saudi Arabia too witnessed a change during this renaissance whereby the pro-Saudi leader President Ali Abdullah Saleh was stripped off power. Following the Gulf Cooperation Council mediated agreement between the Yemen government and the opposition groups, Saleh stepped down in 2012. Saleh’s vice president Abd Rabbuh Mansud Hadi claimed power. But he struggled to bring about stability in Yemen by reigning on the fractious protracted wars waged both by the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Houthi rebels in the northern province of Yemen. Thus the seeds of Arab Spring in Yemen resulted in resurfacing of the old enmities that were kept under wraps by the strong men of the pre-Arab Spring Era.

Houthis are Zaidi Shia Muslim group. Houthi began as a theological movement advocating peace and tolerance changed its stance after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Subsequently they started abetting anti-American and anti-Jewish ideologies in the Sana University initially, leading to a confrontation with the government authorities. Houthis slowly launched an insurgency movement against government in 2004. They rejected the offer for peace talks with President Saleh and actively participated actively in Yemeni Revolution of 2011 and even seized control of two provinces and gained access to Red Sea too. By 2014 they controlled few parts of Sana, the capital city. Meanwhile investigations by Western agencies established that Iranian government greatly facilitated the phenomenal rise of Houthi’s. By February 2015 Houthi rebels seized the Presidential Palace and held President Hadi under house arrest. Parliament was dissolved and Houthi’s officially took control over the government. President Hadi before escaping to Riyadh declared himself the legitimate head of Yemen.

The tumultuous situation took a drastic turn when two mosques in al-Badr and al-Hashoosh were bombed on March 20^th killing 142 people of Houthi community. Enraged Houthi leader delivered a vitriolic speech accusing the US and Israel for supporting these attacks. Meanwhile, ISIS quickly claimed responsibility. On March 27^th fearing a massive back lash on Sunni faction Saudi Arabia along with the Gulf coalition resorted to air strikes against Yemen.

The chaotic situation across the Middle East exemplifies the absence of a progressive leadership that can mediate reconciliation between the warring factions. The long standing brewing animosities are fuelled by the sectarian conflicts. With the US vouching to provide logistical and intelligence support, the 10 Gulf nations beefed up air strikes on Yemen targeting  Sana airport and Houthi’s political headquarters. With unabated air strikes Yemen is periled to encounter similar fate as Iraq-Libya and Syria, the regimes dominated by Shiaite Muslims.

With Saudi Arabia contemplating on ground attacks, the situation might turn more chaotic. Over the years due to incessant fighting with Al Saleh and Saudi Arabia, Houthi’s have excelled in guerrilla war fare and Saudi Arabia might have a tough time. It had previously suffered a severe blow following its intervention with the Houthi rebels wherein Houthi rebels crossed over to Saudi Arabia and seized control over dozens of its towns and villages. This preposterous adventure of Saudi Arabia might entail huge damage not only to Yemen but also to its own back yard. Unfortunately Yemen is simultaneously under attack by both the internal secessionist factions and the external threat which has far reaching geopolitical repercussions that can change balance of power in the Middle East. Yemen which provides safe haven to the Sunni extremists AQAP, the deadliest branch of Al-Qaeda and the ISIS is already sitting over the top of an explosive bomb.

In a bid to claim hegemony over the region extending from the Mediterranean Sea, Gulf and the Arabian Sea, the bitter rivals- Saudi Arabia the Sunni bulwark and the Shia Muslim leader Iran are perpetuating decades-long rivalry along the sectarian and ideological lines. A country wise assessment of this region throws light on the behind the screen strategies of these two big wigs. Iran backed Hezabollah’s in Lebanon, in Syria Iran backed Assad regime and in Iraq the Shia-dominated regime in the Sunni dominated country created havoc and deprived millions of innocent people of harmonious living. The clashes in three countries clearly indicate how the sectarian rivalries have taken a big toll on this region.  Similarly the Sunni Arab nations can’t hope to deal with ISIS by directing its attention towards their enemies. Yemen crisis beseeches for serious attempts aimed at bringing about reconciliation between the Sunni and Shia Muslims. Until unless the theological issues revolving around these sects are clearly resolved peace can’t be restored to the Middle East.

 

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