Fears for the region as Yemen slides into a dangerous sectarian conflict

What the Arabic media is saying about the situation in Sanaa. Translated by Racha Makarem

Undoubtedly there have been accelerated and serious developments in our region, which seems perched on a volcano, said the columnist Amani Mohammed in the Abu Dhabi-based daily Al Ittihad.

“Many hope for stability in the region. There is an overarching sentiment among people that they have lost their joie de vivre and that their life can no longer generate happiness or provide adequate atmospheres for communication,” she noted.

Watching the Iran-backed Houthi insurgents take over an Arab capital city wasn’t easy. Iranians boast that Sanaa is the fourth Arab capital to be controlled by Tehran. But, why does the US turn a blind eye to this occupation? And what about the UK, which until recently saw Yemen as one of its colonies?

“It appears that the relationship between the US and Iran is one of complicity, as Iran continues to wreak havoc in Syria and Iraq,” the writer noted.

The Islamic Republic’s mentality and modus operandi have had deeply destructive effects on our nation, she said. Are we prepared deal with repercussions? Are we sufficiently aware of the hazards they bring? “There are no answers to these questions as of yet. But, what is certain is that this state of fear will produce more solidarity and an urgent desire to ensure the security of this region,” she opined.

For his part, the columnist Rajeh Al Khouri wrote in the Lebanese daily Annahar: “It is obvious that Yemen is quickly sliding into a sectarian and tribal civil war. It would be yet another front for the heinous Sunni-Shia struggle, to add to several similar fronts in several parts of our wretched region.”

It wouldn’t be bizarre, then, if Southern Yemen were to push for secession, just as the Kurds in Iraq are pushing for independence. Considering the present scenario in Yemen, and taking into account statements from Houthi leaders and Yemeni military commanders, it is safe to say that the spark of the sectarian civil war has been ignited in Yemen, Al Khouri wrote.

He noted that the Iranian daily Kayhan wrote about 10 days ago that following the success of the Islamic revolution in Sanaa, Saudi Arabia would be next. “However, Sanaa’s fall could throw the whole country, the Houthis and their Iranian allies into bloody quicksand. The very nature of Yemen and its tribal and sectarian fabric, and its susceptibility for excessive violence, would soon lead to internal disintegration,” he suggested.

Tehran may have substituted Sanaa for Damascus and Bashar Al Assad, and is using it to make up for the relative dwindling of its control and authority over Iraqi decision-making, Al Khouri wrote. But, Yemenis may not be as complacent as Tehran thinks. Yemenis are a heavily armed population and the Houthis “may find it challenging to digest the Yemeni meal”.

The Saudi columnist Abdullah Humaideddine wrote in the pan-Arab daily Al Hayat that Houthi control over Sanaa must have come out of a regional and Yemeni decision to find a definitive solution for the Muslim Brotherhood and the clout they exercised over the Yemeni government and military forces.

Nonetheless, there are options at hand to prevent Houthis from expanding their control over Yemen, he said, starting with quiet diplomatic action in Saudi to exclude Houthis extremists.

Secondly, tribes allied with the Houthis could be swayed to side with Saudi Arabia through Saudi-led development projects in their immediate areas.

Thirdly, supporting the Yemeni government and strengthening its institutions could allow it to gradually regain control over all of Yemen.

“Thus, the spectre of Iran could be driven away from Yemen, and this would ensure that the country won’t become a thorn in Saudi’s eye in the future,” he concluded.