Houthi Group Appoints Arms Dealer as Governor of Sa'ada province

By Fati Al-Rodaini

Sa'ada, Mar 26, 2011- A Houthi Group appointed on Saturday Fares Mana'a, a Yemeni Arms Dealer as governor of Yemen's northern province of Sa'ada after the fall the Sa'ada province from the Yemeni Authorities.

Sources said that the appointment came after Taha Hajer, the current governor left the province and fled to Sana'a province. They added that all the leaders of the army headquarters within the province handed over their military equipment, including their personal guns, arms, tanks, and vehicles to the leaders of the Houthi Group.

Houthis said that they declared on Saturday the independence of Sa'ada province from Sana'a authorities, this step came after longtime clashes have been taking place in northern Sa'ada between the Houthis and pro-government tribesmen, belonging to Sheikh Othman Majali, a Yemeni parliament member.

The government was unable to confirm or deny the fall of Sa'ada.

In February hundreds of Houthi followers joined protesters at Sana'a University campus, demanding the fall of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime in response to their spiritual leader, Abdul Malek Al-Houthi in which he called a week ago his followers to participate in protests against President Saleh.

At the same time, Fares Mana'a, a Yemeni Arms Dealer, an intermediary in negotiations between the government and the Houthi rebels, and a brother of former governor of Sa'ada province, Hasen Mana'a, announced also his followers to join protesters against Saleh.