Battle of Amran

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Battle of Amran
Part of the Yemeni Crisis and Sa'dah War
Date2 February-10 July 2014
Location
Result

Decisive Houthi victory

  • Houthis eventually launch a new offensive to capture the capital Sanaa
Belligerents
Houthis

Yemen Republic of Yemen

Commanders and leaders
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi
Mohammed Abdul Salam
Yemen Hameed Al-Qushaibi [1]
Yemen Abdrabbuh Hadi
Casualties and losses
460 killed and 180 wounded from all the sides including civilians
81,000 people displaced from the region during October 2013-February 2014[2] Another 10,000 families displaced in the July[3]

The battle of 'Amran, refers to a battle that took place in the summer of 2014, between the Houthi Zaydi movement, and the Yemeni government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The Houthis eventually won the battle, leading them to the capture of Sanaa.

Background[edit]

Hameed Al-Qushaibi in 2004

The Houthi rebels have battled against Islah-backed forces in the rural regions of Amran from the February 2014, when they first attacked the government held areas from mountains around them. During the first week of the clashes, an estimated number of 7,100 people, left the city, and some 450,000 to be inside the en-conflict regions of the 'Amran Governorate.[4] From October 2013, 81,000 residents have abandoned the town.[5]

The main battle[edit]

The battle begin in the early days of July 2014 when Houthi rebels stormed the city of Amran, guarded by the general Hameed Al-Qushaibi. On 8 July 2014, army reinforcements sent to Amran on Sunday were locked in fierce clashes with Shiite Houthi in Dharawan, 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Sanaa, and in and around the city itself, military sources said. On the same day, Hadi fighter jets bombed Amran's Warak neighborhood, hours after it was seized by rebels.[6] During previous battles, 460 people left dead, with some 160 to be wounded, including civilians.[7] On July 9, Yemeni government accused the Houthi rebels for atrocities, during a raid in the headquarters of the 310th Armored Brigade, looted weapons and equipment there, and killed a number of soldiers and officers, said Yemen's Supreme Security Committee, quoted by state news agency Saba. Along the dead, was the general responsibly for the region, Hameed Al-Qushaibi. The general, later mourned for his death.[8][9] The Houthi fighters, broken the deal between them and general al-Qushaibi, that has the Houthi to allowed his brigade to abandon the city, and bringing an end to the fight in Amran.[10] However another pact made with the Houthis, to retreat from the Amran city, but the pact never took place, allowing the Houthis to attack and capture Sana'a. Amran was fully captured by 10 July 2014.[11][12]

Aftermath[edit]

After the fall of Amran in August, the Houthis began holding mass demonstrations in Sana'a, pressuring President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to reverse a cut to fuel subsidies and calling on the government to step down. Representatives of the group met with government officials in an attempt to find a solution to the standoff, but the Houthis rejected the government's concessions as insufficient. On 9 September, Houthi protesters in northwest Sana'a were fired upon by security forces as they marched on the cabinet office. Seven were killed.[13][14] the Houthis, finally stormed the Sana'a in 16 of September, and captured in 21 of the month.[15]

Conspiracy theories[edit]

During a film by Al Jazeera, some officials with hidden faces claimed that the fall of Amran was allowed by the Hadi government, to eventually remove General al-Qushaibi from power, eventually lead him in death, and the capital on the Houthis. Many believe that the Houthis and Hadi were concerted to leave Amran to fall to the Houthis.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ EIU Digital Solutions. "Death of military commander sparks fears for transition". Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-03-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Yemen". The Economist. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Yemen: Conflict and new displacement in Amran Situation Report No.1 as of 6 February 2014". ReliefWeb. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ^ "Amran Conflict Emergency Situation Report No. 01 as of 6 February 2014". Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Thousands of civilians flee north Yemen battle: Red Crescent". Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Amran : Thousands flee fighting in north Yemeni city". BBC News. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  8. ^ MOHAMMED HUWAIS. "Yemeni mourners attend the funeral of General Hamid al-Qushaibi, an..." Getty Images. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  9. ^ afp (9 July 2014). "Yemen accuses Al Houthi rebels of 'atrocities'". GulfNews. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Yemen accuses Shiite rebels of 'atrocities' near sanaa". 9 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Security Council urges Shiite rebels to quit Yemeni city".
  12. ^ "Yemeni rebels say they will evacuate key city". Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  13. ^ Mohammed Ghobari (22 August 2014). "Tens of thousands of Yemeni Houthis protest against govt in capital". Reuters. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  14. ^ "The fall of Sanaa: What next for Yemen?". 23 September 2014.
  15. ^ "Houthi victory is defeat for Yemen's Islah - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  16. ^ "The Road to Sanaa". Retrieved 30 April 2016.