Houthi Rebels Join Anti-State Protests in Yemen

Houthi Rebels Join Anti-State Protests in Yemen

By Fatik Al-Rodaini

Sa'ada- February 21, 2011, Tens of thousands of supporters of the Shiite Houthi rebel group protested Monday in the north Yemen city of Sa'ada to demand the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's government, a tribal leader said.

Protesters called for the toppling of Saleh's regime and chanted support for demonstrations in the capital, Sana'a and in the southern city of Aden, where 12 people have been killed in anti-government protests since Feb. 16, officials said.

"Tens of thousands protested today, as called for by Houthi rebel chief, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi and opposition MPs, lawmakers," the tribal leader told media outlets.

Sa'ada is the stronghold of the Zaidi Shiite rebels, who from 2004 fought six wars with Saleh's government before signing a peace treaty with the government in 2010.