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| Ras Marbat Clinic at Christ Church Aden in Yemen in this undated photo. / Ven Dr. Bill Schwartz, OBE |
Christian Post
In case you haven’t heard already, Yemen has been facing what many have called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The Middle East country, located at the end of the Arabian Peninsula, has a population of over 28 million and 22 million of them need humanitarian assistance (16 million don’t have enough food).
Much of the famine is a result of the civil war that began years ago. So how did the crisis begin and what is it like for Christians in Yemen?
Here are five things you should know.
1. 2011 uprising
Thousands of protesters called on President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had been in office for more than three decades, to step down over the collapse of the economy, corruption and repression.
Forced to resign, Saleh transferred power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. But Saleh remained in Yemen and formed an alliance with the Houthi rebels (made up of the Zaidi Shia Muslim minority who have been attempting to gain power for decades) who gained control of Sanaa, the country’s capital. The Zaidi believe only a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad should rule Muslims.
Hadi was forced to flee the country in March 2015, under attack both by the Houthis and security forces still loyal to Saleh. This is when Saudi Arabia (Yemen’s neighbor) entered the fray, fearful of the spread of what it believes is Iran-backed Shia powers in Yemen.
The Saudi Arabian Kingdom, along with other Sunni Arab states, have been carrying out an air campaign ever since, looking to return power to Hadi and his government.
Note: 99.1 percent of Yemen’s population is Muslim; 65 percent are Sunni and 35 percent are Shia.
The civil war has been at a stalemate, with coalition troops supporting the Hadi government holding control of much of the country, including Aden, while the Houthi forces continue being in control of significant northwestern regions.
The turmoil has allowed militant groups, including al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and an affiliate of the Islamic State terror group, to capture territory in the south and carry out deadly attacks.
The stalemate has produced the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Forced to resign, Saleh transferred power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. But Saleh remained in Yemen and formed an alliance with the Houthi rebels (made up of the Zaidi Shia Muslim minority who have been attempting to gain power for decades) who gained control of Sanaa, the country’s capital. The Zaidi believe only a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad should rule Muslims.
Hadi was forced to flee the country in March 2015, under attack both by the Houthis and security forces still loyal to Saleh. This is when Saudi Arabia (Yemen’s neighbor) entered the fray, fearful of the spread of what it believes is Iran-backed Shia powers in Yemen.
The Saudi Arabian Kingdom, along with other Sunni Arab states, have been carrying out an air campaign ever since, looking to return power to Hadi and his government.
Note: 99.1 percent of Yemen’s population is Muslim; 65 percent are Sunni and 35 percent are Shia.
The civil war has been at a stalemate, with coalition troops supporting the Hadi government holding control of much of the country, including Aden, while the Houthi forces continue being in control of significant northwestern regions.
The turmoil has allowed militant groups, including al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and an affiliate of the Islamic State terror group, to capture territory in the south and carry out deadly attacks.
The stalemate has produced the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of this nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest, and Google and like us on Facebook.
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