Saudi Arabia adds pro-Houthi Yemenis and companies to terror list

Second time in a week that people from Yemen have been listed over ties to rebels

Saudi Arabia said it will continue to work to stop the influence of the Houthi rebels and to target those providing them with financial support. AFP

Saudi Arabia has added 19 people and companies from Yemen to its list of designated terrorists.

The eight Yemenis and 11 companies were listed late on Tuesday for their links to the financial transactions of the Houthi rebel group, said Saudi Arabia's Presidency of State Security.

Some were also listed because of links to Al Qaeda and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The designation involves the “freezing of all assets belonging to the 19 designated individuals and entities and prohibiting dealing with them or for their benefit”, the Presidency of State Security said in a statement.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to work to stop the influence of the terrorist Houthi militia and to target the most prominent individuals and entities who provide them with financial support and cause violence."

This is the second time in a week that Yemenis have been designated for their ties to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

On June 7, Saudi Arabia, the other Gulf Co-operation Council states and the US added 16 individuals and entities to their terrorist lists. Some are linked to Iran’s IRGC, ISIS and the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria.

Of the 11 companies listed on Tuesday, eight were named for importing Iranian oil and facilitating financial transactions for the Houthis.

Yemeni President Rashad Al Alimi earlier praised the Arab League’s decision to list the Houthis as a terrorist organisation.

He urged other Arab countries to “enforce this decision into effect immediately to deter the militia group from committing further violations against the Yemeni people”, at an Arab League session in Cairo in June.