Introduction
Yemen is located in the Arabian Peninsula, on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia borders it to the north, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden to the west and south. In 2015, Yemen was plunged into a civil war, a conflict that has caused widespread suffering and instability. This conflict has its roots in several factors, including political corruption, economic instability, and the rise of rebel groups and terrorism. This essay will examine the factors that led to the outbreak of the Yemeni Civil War and the role played by specific countries and terror groups.
Discussion
The outbreak of the Yemeni Civil War in 2015 was the result of a complex set of circumstances that had been building for several years. In 2011, the Arab Spring protests swept across the Middle East and North Africa, leading to the downfall of long-standing President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen (Simpson et al., 2022). Despite Saleh’s resignation, his former deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, faced numerous challenges as the country’s new leader, including corruption, economic instability, and threats from rebel groups. One of the most influential rebel groups in Yemen was the Houthi rebel group, which is primarily made up of Zaidi Shiites and receives support from Iran. In 2014, the Houthis took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s northwest, leading to a response from President Hadi, who fled to the port city of Aden. With the help of a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and supported by the United States, Hadi attempted to retake control of the country.
The role of Iran in the Yemeni Civil War is to support the Houthi rebels, whom they see as a valuable ally in their efforts to expand their influence in the region. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia supports President Hadi and views the Houthis as a proxy for Iran that threatens its national security. The United States has provided logistical support and weapons to the Saudi-led coalition but has also expressed concerns about the high civilian death toll from the conflict and has called for an end to the fighting (Ferro, 2019). Terror groups such as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State (ISIS) have taken advantage of the chaos and lawlessness in Yemen to gain a foothold in the country. AQAP, in particular, has been able to carry out several high-profile attacks and has been designated as one of the most dangerous branches of al Qaeda.
Various issues must be addressed to end the civil war and restore peace. The major controversies surrounding the status of President Hadi, the disarmament and reintegration of the Houthi rebels into society, and the distribution of power and resources among the various factions need to be settled. Additionally, strategic plans must be established to eliminate terrorist groups (Ruggiero, 2019). Moreover, the international community must work to address the humanitarian crisis in the country, which has left millions of people in need of food, water, and medical aid.
The international community can support the peace process in Yemen by putting pressure on all parties to the conflict to engage in negotiations. In these negotiations, they can discuss actions related to providing humanitarian aid to those in need and supporting efforts to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and institutions (Ruggiero, 2019). Additionally, they can help address the conflict’s root causes, such as poverty, inequality, and political corruption, by providing development assistance and supporting good governance initiatives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Yemeni Civil War is a complex and multi-faceted conflict that has caused widespread suffering and instability. To bring an end to the conflict and restore peace, several complex issues must be addressed, including the status of President Hadi, the disarmament and reintegration of the Houthi rebels into society, the distribution of power and resources among the various factions, and the elimination of terrorist groups.
References
Ferro, L. (2019). Western gunrunners, (Middle-) Eastern casualties: Unlawfully trading arms with states engulfed in Yemeni civil war?. Journal of conflict and security law, 24(3), 503-535. Web.
Ruggiero, V. (2019). Yemen: Civil war or transnational crime?. Critical Criminology, 27(3), 503-514. Web.
Simpson, R. B., Babool, S., Tarnas, M. C., Kaminski, P. M., Hartwick, M. A., & Naumova, E. N. (2022). Dynamic mapping of cholera outbreak during the Yemeni Civil War, 2016–2019. Journal of Public Health Policy, 43(2), 185-202. Web.