Tribes Block Key Highway in Protest Against Houthi Abuses

Tribesmen from the Bani Nof clan have blockaded the international Al-Rayan highway, which connects Al-Jawf Governorate to Al-Mahrah, Hadramaut, and the Al-Wadea crossing. This action was taken in response to a tribal call for solidarity, initiated by Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid bin Fadgham Al-Hazmi, to protest alleged abuses and torture he endured in Houthi militia detention centers.

Tribal sources indicated that the Bani Nof militants have imposed strict tribal checkpoints targeting individuals from the Sahar tribe of Sa'dah, from which prominent Houthi leader Faris Manaa hails. This measure aims to exert pressure on the militia. The sources further stated that the militants are inspecting the identification of drivers and passengers, specifically searching for anyone belonging to the Sahar tribe, and detaining any trucks or vehicles associated with them.

This escalation coincides with significant tribal mobilization. Initial delegations comprising senior sheikhs and members of the Daham, Bani Nof, and Al-Dhawai tribes have arrived at the territories of the Maraziq tribe in the Al-Rayan area, which is under the control of the legitimate government. They are there to welcome and support Sheikh Hamad Fadgham Al-Hazmi, who declared a tribal "Nakf" (call for solidarity) after "breaking the hilt of his Jambiya" (a traditional dagger), signifying a state of heightened alert and a call for assistance against injustice and attempts to erase tribal identity.

In response, the Houthi militia has launched a widespread, arbitrary campaign, apparently reflecting their disarray. They have established numerous checkpoints and have abducted and detained any citizen from Al-Jawf Governorate arriving from routes leading to Marib Governorate. Local sources confirmed that the Houthi militia is forcing travelers to fill out a "returnee form" and forcibly taking those who refuse to sign it to their prisons.

The root of this escalating tension dates back to mid-May, when a Houthi military campaign at the Al-Hattarish checkpoint, at the entrance to Sana'a, intercepted Sheikh Al-Hazmi and Mira Saddam Hussein as they were returning to Al-Jawf. They were abducted and held for fifty days. This occurred after Sheikh Al-Hazmi's attempts to seek justice from the Houthis failed, following their refusal to return her home and properties in Sana'a, which had been raided and looted since 2017 by Houthi leader Faris Manaa.

The incident sparked widespread tribal anger in Al-Jawf Governorate at the time, and multiple mediation efforts involving several sheikhs from Bakil and Daham took place. However, these efforts concluded without an agreement, as Al-Hazmi and the Daham sheikhs insisted on the full return of the woman's home and properties, rejecting all alternative proposals.