Houthi rebels deploy African mercenaries

Dubai - Coalition forces stationed in the Yemeni territorial waters of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden have arrested a number of African infiltrators.

The war in Yemen has taken a nasty turn with Houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh recruiting African refugees to fight along their ranks. Yemeni security agencies and the Saudi-led Arab Coalition forces have arrested a large number of African infiltrators, who have revealed they are mercenaries brought in by Houthi rebels.
Military sources told the London-based Pan Arab daily Asharq Al Awsat that the coalition forces stationed in the Yemeni territorial waters of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden have arrested a number of African infiltrators, who were brought in boats from the Horn of Africa to the coasts of Aden, Lahja, Abyan and Shabwa governorates in south Yemen.
The report quoted human rights activist Shafia Al Abd as saying that the flow of Africans into Yemen would aggravate the political, economic and security situation once their numbers continue to increase.
"Hundreds of African refugees arrived in the Shabwa governorate in the east of the country through its open shores," he said, adding that all the new arrivals are youths, mostly from Ethiopia".
He wondered what the real motive of these people is by coming to a country engulfed in war and chaos. "The only available opportunities for them is to fight as mercenaries."
He said that before the war erupted, refugees from the Horn of Africa usually arrived at Belhaf port in the Shabwa governorate. Most of those refugees came from Somalia, and included children, women and elderly. But, he said, the new arrivals are mostly youths and are from Ethiopia.
"Once they stepped on to the Yemeni shores, they asked about Radaa and Beijan belonging to the Shabwa and Al Bidhaa governorates, which are controlled by the Houthi rebels," he said.
"Youths coming from Ethiopia are transported by trucks to Shabwa's capital city of Ataq before they were shuttled to Beijan, 200km from the shores," Al Abd revealed.
The UN Higher Commission for refugees (UNHCR) had said that despite the ongoing conflict and deepening humanitarian crisis, as many as 70,000 refugees, primarily from Ethiopia and Somalia, have arrived by boat in Yemen so far this year.
The UNHCR and its partners provide shelter, food and medical care at the Mayfa'a reception centre for those arriving on the Arabian Sea coast.
For those arriving along the Red Sea coast, such facilities have been suspended after an attack destroyed a village hosting new arrivals in Bab El Mandab. A Yemen Red Crescent medical assistant and a Somali refugee who was working as an interpreter were killed in the attack.
Travel to Yemen is particularly perilous. Three weeks ago, a boat carrying migrants and refugees capsized in the Arabian Sea en route to Yemen. Of the 68 passengers, only 33 survived. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 88 recorded deaths in the sea between the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
"More children may die in Yemen due to the shortage of medicines and healthcare, much more than those who are killed by gunshots and air strikes," Unicef executive director Anthony Lake has warned.

• MENA