Investigation of the internal political-military scene of Yemen during the last year

Mehr News Agency, Intergroup International: In the past year, the political-military scene of Yemen has been affected by the two events of the Riyadh-Sanaa negotiations and also the Zionist regime’s war against Gaza was located. This article briefly describes the political-military situation of Yemen in the past year.

1. The impact of the Sana’a-Riyadh negotiations

Saudi Arabia has put direct negotiations with the Yemenis on the agenda since April 2023. In this regard, the Saudi delegation visited Sana’a for the first time since 2015, and the Yemeni delegation visited Saudi Arabia for the first time. However, the important point is that Saudi Arabia’s desire to change its approach towards Yemen (stopping the war and turning to negotiations) does not mean that Yemen is out of Saudi Arabia’s priority. The Saudis ended the war against Yemen, but they are still present in Yemen’s political scene.

Saudi Arabia is interested in ending the war in Yemen But Riyadh is not willing to lose Yemen and become indifferent to the construction and arrangement of power because Yemen is a primary and strategic issue for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia continues to support the Yemeni Presidential Council. After Saudi Arabia invited the National Salvation Government of Yemen to travel to Riyadh and hold talks with Saudi officials, it was criticized by the head of the Saudi-affiliated Yemeni Presidential Council, Rashad Al-Alimi. It was the recognition of the National Salvation Government of Yemen. Therefore, it can be said that the Sana’a-Riyadh talks have had the following effects on Yemen’s domestic scene during the past year:

Intensification of the bipolar situation in Yemen

Yemen witnessed the simultaneous presence of two governments from the past years; National Salvation government in Sana’a and the resigned government of Mansour Hadi in the south. After the resignation of Mansour Hadi, the Presidential Council was established in southern Yemen, which is supported by Yemen and the United Nations. During the 8 years of war, Saudi Arabia tried not to recognize the National Salvation Government of Yemen, but inviting the National Salvation Government to Riyadh last year was tantamount to accepting this government and Ansarullah. Although Saudi Arabia emphasizes the need for the consensus of Yemeni groups to form a national government, in the past year, polarization has intensified in Yemen.

Yemen’s Presidential Council considers the Riyadh-Sanaa negotiations to be a weakening of this council and does not agree with these negotiations. The situation in Yemen is so chaotic and complicated that it prevents any foundation for the formation of a single country under a single government with national unity.

So even though the withdrawal of Saudi Arabia and coalition forces And accepting the role of Ansarullah inside Yemen can provide a much more serious beginning to resolve the crisis, but basically, it is unlikely that Yemen will get out of this chaotic state so easily. It seems that the conflict between North and South Yemen will not end in the short term and it can be a new issue for security and power in Yemen.

Military competition increased inside Yemen

Another consequence of the Sanaa-Riyadh negotiations, Increasing military competition inside Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to support groups close to them in southern Yemen. “Tareq Muhammad Saleh”, the nephew of Ali Abdullah Saleh in Aden, south of Yemen, assembled a network of supporters of the former Yemeni dictator and is now supported by the United Arab Emirates and also works against Ansarullah.

Tariq Muhammad Saleh is trying to incite the Yemeni army, which is an ally of Ansarullah, against the forces of Ansarallah. In addition, although some members of the Yemeni Presidential Council are made up of the leaders of the Southern Transitional Council, there are still political and military rivalries between the Transitional Council and the Southern Presidential Council.

At the same time as these competitions, the National Salvation Government based in Sana’a, the capital, also continues to strengthen its deterrent power. gave In this regard, the largest military parade of the Yemeni Armed Forces affiliated to the National Salvation Government was exhibited on September 21. In this military parade, the Yemeni armed forces unveiled their arsenal equipped with advanced, strategic and new weapons. This parade showed that the National Salvation government based in Sana’a is trying to strengthen its military power. While this approach is to deal with external threats, it can also establish the superiority of the National Salvation Government against the southern competitors.

2. Effects of the Gaza War

One ​​of the most important events that affected the political-military scene of Yemen during the last year, the war and genocide of the regime Zionism was against the people of Gaza. The genocide of the Zionist regime in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, caused Yemen to once again witness the presence of millions of people in the streets, and on the other hand, the Yemenis demonstrated their military power by attacking ships bound for the occupied territories. /span>

Following the Al-Aqsa storm operation and the aggressive attacks of the Zionist regime against Gaza, massive demonstrations and solidarity activities with Gaza Covered Yemen. Also, Sana’a officially announced its participation in the battle against the Zionist regime by conducting military operations against various targets in the occupied territories.

Targeting ships belonging to the occupying regime as well as ships bound for this regime caused the US to use the pretext of providing security Red Sea, on December 19, to announce the establishment of a naval coalition to deal with the Sana’a operation. The important point is that despite the attacks of the United States and its allies against Yemen, not only the attacks of the Yemenis against the ships bound for the occupied territories did not stop, but the weekly demonstrations of millions of Yemeni people also proved the popular support of the National Salvation government. Also, the National Salvation Government proved that it is one of the important and effective members of the axis of resistance in the West Asian region. Therefore, the global attention to the National Salvation Government of Yemen has increased after the Gaza war.

Result

Yemen witnessed the intensification of internal conflicts and polarization last year. This situation was the outcome of the Sana’a-Riyadh talks and the continuation of Saudi and UAE support for groups close to them in Yemen. At the same time, the National Salvation government based in Sana’a has also taken advantage of the ceasefire to strengthen its deterrent power and held its largest military parade in September 2023 to show that it is the strongest political and military actor on the Yemeni scene. The Zionist regime’s war against Gaza also had an impact on the scene in Yemen and caused the United States and England to take military action against Yemen in the shadow of Saudi Arabia’s silence. An action that did not lead to the withdrawal of the Yemenis from the attack against the ships bound for the occupied lands.