Monday Papers (or the al-Huthi conflict)

Muhammad al-Qadhi has this article in the National, which discusses the latest clashes between al-Huthi supporters and the potential for a sixth round of all out war between the two sides.

A couple of notes on the article. First, I’m not sure how accurate the 23 percent number is. I don’t think anyone has firm numbers on Yemen, which is often why one sees so much guesswork. Also, I would be wary of identifying Salih as a Zaydi, traditionally he is, but this is not where he gets his legitimacy or authority from – he has other identities that he capitalizes on. Also, I would be wary of reducing the al-Huthi conflict to a simple: they want to restore the Imamate, at least the Imamate as it was articulated by the Hamid al-Din dynasty.

In another worrying sign, the Yemeni government has started court proceedings against 12 individuals alleged to be al-Huthi supporters. If the government wasn’t setting the table for more fighting it would be more apt to pardon or not bring charges – add this to the list of indicators.