Government of Yemen Collapses

The government of Yemen led by President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi has collapsed under the pressure of a Houthi uprising that has seen large parts of the country fall under their control.

Reuters reports that Hadi capitulated to the Houthis after they surrounded the presidential palace for a number of days. The Houthis were already essentially in control of the entire capital of Sanaa after sweeping in from their redoubts in the north of the country near the border with Saudi Arabia.

The Yemeni parliament has voted not to accept Hadi's resignation, but the Houthis control of the city has made that action worthless. Reuters reports that Hadi did not get any help from the army, which is viewed as being more loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh.

For example, while the Houthis threatened the presidential palace with artillery shelling and small arms fire, thearmy did not come to assist the presidential guard. This allowed the Houthis to imprison Hadi in his own home until he gave in to their demands for more power and autonomy. 

Hadi was elected as part of a plan to establish a democratic government after Saleh was overthrown in the tumultuous tides of the Arab Spring. The presence of a number of militant groups such as the Houthis and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula meant that even keeping the country together until new elections would be a daunting task. The fact that the military refused to help Hadi secure the country only made matters worse.

The New York Times reports the Houthis are backed by Iran because they are Shia. This fact also means that the Houthis are sworn enemies of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The groups have fought each other often, and Al Qaeda has often carried out attacks on Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital.