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Protests broke out in Yemen in February 2011, demanding the overthrow of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had ruled the country since 1978. It was a peaceful revolution led by young people searching for change and influenced by the wave of the Arab Spring that started in Tunisia and then Egypt, and ended with the overthrow of Tunisian presidents Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian Mohamed Hosni Mubarak.
These peaceful protests were faced with excessive violence from the Yemeni regime, which made the demonstrators adhere to the demand that the president step down and hold those responsible for the violence accountable, and reject all the initiatives proposed by Saleh to end and contain the revolution.
The Yemeni president announced that he was officially stepping down from power in favor of his deputy, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, on February 27, 2012, in implementation of part of the terms of the Gulf Initiative that Saleh and the opposition signed in Riyadh on November 23, 2011.
However, the ousted president quickly turned against the Gulf initiative, allied himself with the Houthi group, and took control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2015. The country entered into an open war that left one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world.
Spark of revolution
The first demonstrations of the Yemeni revolution began on January 27, 2010, at the University of the capital, Sana’a, and their intensity increased on February 11, 2011, when thousands of Yemenis came out in some southern and central governorates in what was called the “Friday of Rage” to demand the overthrow of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s regime. Who has been ruling the country since 1978.
The Yemeni revolution was affected by the wave of protests that broke out in the Arab world, starting with the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, which culminated in the flight of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to Saudi Arabia on January 14, 2011, and the Egyptian revolution that forced President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak to step down on February 11, 2011. .
Yemeni youth led this revolution, and Sanaa University students joined the protesters in the squares. Starting on its second day, supporters of the regime took to the streets organizing marches in support of it, which resulted in confrontations between the two sides that led to injuries.
On February 16, two people were killed and 10 wounded in the city of Aden by bullets from the security forces, who intervened to disperse the demonstrators. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi issued a statement in which he called on the Yemeni people to take advantage of the opportunity to take conscious and serious action to remove the regime.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh's speeches calling for sitting at the dialogue table did not succeed in calming the protesters. Rather, their anger was increased by the violence with which their peaceful demonstrations were directed, as opposition parties called for the continuation of the protests, and unions, civil associations, and high school students joined them. On February 26, the Hashid and Bakil tribes - two of the major tribes in Yemen - announced joining the protests demanding the overthrow of the regime.
In light of these developments, Saleh chaired a meeting of leaders of the armed forces to discuss their role in maintaining security and stability. He offered the opposition the formation of a national unity government and met with Sharia scholars, expressing his readiness to leave according to a plan that guarantees a peaceful transfer of power. However, the protesters and opposition parties rejected these offers and clung to the demand to overthrow the regime. The demonstrations and sit-ins expanded to include 10 governorates in addition to the capital, Sanaa.
On March 10, Saleh presented a new initiative that includes moving from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary system, holding a referendum on a new constitution for the country, and expanding the local government system, and considering this a first step towards establishing a federal government. While the United States of America welcomed the initiative, the Yemeni opposition and the youth of the revolution rejected it.
Bloody Friday
The March 18 massacre constituted an important shift in the course of the Yemeni revolution, as snipers opened fire on protesters in Change Square in Sanaa, after Friday prayers, killing 52 people and wounding more than 600, and most of the injuries were fatal to the head, neck, and chest.
The opposition closed all doors to dialogue with the Yemeni president, while this bloody Friday left international and Arab reactions denouncing excessive violence in the face of peaceful youth protests, while President Ali Abdullah Saleh declared a state of emergency in the country for a month.
After this massacre, the revolutionary movement was strengthened and the structure of the regime weakened after the defection of Major General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, commander of the 1st Armored Division, and his announcement of joining the popular revolution. The commander of the Eastern Military Region, the commander of the Central Military Region, and the commander of the 310th Brigade in Amran Governorate also joined it, and a number defected. Of the military leaders in the Air Force.
Components of the revolution
The revolution was formed from multiple revolutionary components and coalitions in Sanaa and in the governorates of Taiz and Aden, and in Change Square in the capital, the most important revolutionary components were formed, the most prominent of which are:
The Organizing Committee for the Popular Youth Revolution: It was established in the second month of the start of the revolution by a decision of the Joint Meeting Parties, one of the most important revolutionary components in Change Square in Sana’a, and its mission was to manage the decision and organize the protest process. This committee also included a representative of the left-wing Yemeni Unionist Gathering Party, a representative of the Houthi group, and two independent representatives.
The Civil Alliance for the Youth Revolution:
Founded on March 23, 2011, it is one of the independent components. Its presence and representation went beyond Change Square in Sanaa to include revolutionary components in both Taiz and Aden.
The Coordinating Council for the Youth of the Revolution of Change:
It was established on March 11, 2011, and included in its ranks a number of coalitions in Sanaa and Taiz. It was one of the first revolutionary components that worked to contribute to crystallizing the goals of the revolution and issuing a document to that effect.
The Preparatory Committee for the Revolutionary Youth Council:
one of the revolutionary components that had a presence and influence in Sanaa, Taiz, and Ibb, and was led by the activist Tawakkol Karman, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
The Supreme Coordination of the Yemeni Revolution (Youth):
It was established with the aim of creating broad representation from youth coalitions, and is affiliated with the Yemeni Islah Party.
Al-Samoud Youth Coalition:
It is affiliated with the Houthi group. It established alliances with civilian components that differ from its orientation, such as the leftist and liberal components.
The Democratic Civil Council (Madad):
It was established in May 2011 as an umbrella body for independent coalitions of a liberal nature. However, it did not succeed in proving its presence and did not achieve momentum vis-à-vis other political components with party affiliation.
General Forum for Revolutionary Organizations:
Founded in September 2011, with the aim of uniting revolutionary groups affiliated with the left and liberals. The Houthi group joined it through the Resilience Youth Coalition. The bloc aimed to confront the Gulf initiative and its political path. His presence and influence went beyond Change Square in Sanaa to other cities such as Taiz, Aden, Al-Hudaydah, Ibb, Dhamar, and Saada.
Gulf Initiative
In April 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council presented a political initiative to end the state of tension in Yemen and open the way for a political settlement of the crisis that divided the country. This initiative was amended several times until it was accepted by the Yemeni president and the opposition, and supported by the Security Council, the United States of America, and the European Union. European.
This initiative stipulates that Vice President Abd Rabbuh Hadi will become president of the country until early presidential elections are organized within 3 months, and a national coalition government is formed, and that President Saleh will submit his resignation to the House of Representatives in exchange for granting him and his men immunity from legal and judicial prosecution.
The president stepped down
President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the Gulf Initiative on November 23, 2011 in Riyadh, and the signing ceremony took place in the presence of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and a delegation from the Yemeni opposition.
The Government of National Accord was formed on September 7, 2011, and Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi issued a republican decision to form the government headed by Muhammad Salem Basindwa, the opposition representative, based on the nomination of the General People’s Congress, its allies, and the Joint Meeting Parties.
The government included 34 ministries, which the opposition shared with the ruling party, with 17 ministers each. Its mission in managing the transitional phase was determined with Hadi, who, according to the agreement, assumed the executive powers of the President of the Republic, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the latter remained ceremonial president until the early presidential elections were held.
On February 21, 2012, early presidential elections were held, which resulted in the victory of the only candidate, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. Ali Abdullah Saleh officially handed over power to Hadi on February 27, 2012, to lead the country in a two-year transitional period, which included 33 years of Saleh’s rule.
Counter-revolution
The ousted Yemeni president did not surrender after his removal from power and the start of the transitional phase. Rather, he turned against the Gulf initiative and allied with the Houthis - his former enemies - against the internationally recognized government headed by Abd Rabbuh Hadi, using “counter-revolution” strategies.
Saleh was accused of being behind the Houthis' seizure of a number of Yemeni cities without resistance from the authorities or the army in September 2014, and the Security Council imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of threatening peace and stability in Yemen.
The Arab coalition countries, led by Riyadh, announced at dawn on Thursday, March 26, 2015, the start of Operation Decisive Storm, in response to the request of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to “protect Yemen and its people” from the Houthis and forces loyal to the ousted president.
After announcing the end of “Decisive Storm” on April 21, 2015, the Arab coalition announced the start of Operation “Restoring Hope,” which it said was based on a political part that the legitimate government of Yemen, led by Hadi, is responsible for managing, and a military part led by the coalition for the purpose of protecting the political process and halting progress. The Houthis and Saleh's forces.
Saleh formed a governing council with the Houthis on August 6, 2016, consisting of 10 equally members, to administer the areas they control. However, he quickly turned against them and announced his intention to open a new page with the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which the Houthis considered treason, and a fight broke out between the two parties that ended with the killing of Ali Abdullah Saleh on December 4, 2017.
New war
Since the Houthis took control of Sanaa in 2015, Abd Rabbuh Hadi settled in Saudi Arabia, from where he ran his government and the areas under his control. He did not return to Yemen except a few times, the last of which was in April 2019, when a meeting of the House of Representatives was held in the city of Sayun in Hadramaut Governorate.
On April 7, 2022, the Yemeni president issued a presidential declaration from Riyadh in which he transferred all his powers to a presidential leadership council headed by Rashad Muhammad Al-Alimi. According to this declaration, the Council will assume the political, military and security administration of the state and complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional phase, in addition to leading negotiations with the Houthis regarding a ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia welcomed this announcement, and decided to provide urgent support to the Yemeni economy in the amount of $3 billion. It also announced the provision of $300 million to finance the humanitarian response plan announced by the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.
The ongoing war in Yemen for years has left one of the largest humanitarian tragedies in the world, as the United Nations International Organization for Migration announced that more than 25.5 million Yemenis are living below the poverty line.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that the conflict in Yemen has exacerbated the malnutrition crisis, and revealed that about 2.2 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, including more than 540,000 children who suffer from severe acute malnutrition, which threatens life unless treated. Rapidly, it also led to the spread of successive epidemics such as measles, cholera, and diphtheria.
To end the conflict, Saudi officials met with the Houthis in Sanaa, with Omani mediation, on April 9, 2023. In September 2023, talks were launched between the Houthis and Saudi officials in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which lasted for 5 days, with the aim of developing a road map to end the conflict in Yemen.
A draft agreement was reached for a ceasefire and the resumption of a comprehensive political process under the auspices of the United Nations, but its signing was postponed due to the repercussions of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
Source: Al Jazeera