Clashes that recently re-erupted in Yemen have ended, leaving close to 170 rebels and government forces dead.
“The confrontations have practically ended since last Wednesday,” Reuters quoted Yemen’s President ‘Ali ‘Abdallah ‘Salih as saying.
‘Salih said the rebels carry no political weight and pose no threat to national unity. According to the Yemenite Al-Ayyam, ‘Salih said they have been pursued and controlled.
The rebels are followers of radical Shi’ite cleric Hussein Badr A-Din Al-Houthi. He founded The Believing Youth, an outlawed organization which was reportedly known for regular sermons severely criticizing the United States and Israel as well as staging violent protests.
Al-Houthi led a rebellion against Yemenite forces last year that ended with hundreds of his followers and Yemenite forces dead.
Al-Houthi was slain in September 2004 but his followers reemerged on March 19 when clashes began once again.