海角大神

The British, French, and American embassies have been shuttered in Yemen and others look set to soon follow suit, as the largest protests broke out since the Houthi movement's coup in mid-January.

Reuters reports that there was a small protest against the Shiite Houthi movement's takeover in Sanaa, which was menaced by members of the movement brandishing daggers and firing rifles into the air. A far larger protest, numbering over 10,000,聽 was held in the city of Taiz, which is now outside central government control.

"Leaders and Sunni tribesmen in the southern and eastern regions, which the group has yet to seize, are arming themselves against their push and are in some cases making common cause with Yemeni Al Qaeda militants, leading to fears of an all-out sectarian war," Reuters wrote.

The Obama administration has continued to avoid describing the Houthi takeover in Sanaa as a "coup," but a statement from State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki Tuesday acknowledge the situation in all but name.聽

The risk of civil war is growing in Yemen, as are the opportunities for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which operates training camps inside the country and has planned attacks on the US from there. Though the Shiite Houthis hate AQAP, and the feeling is mutual, the movement also makes "death to America" one of its most prominent political slogans.

The Monitor wrote yesterday:

In an analysis piece from Sanaa, Reuters considers the current state of play was reached.

Gregory Johnson wrote after the Houthi takeover about the group's history, the conditions that brought them to power, and what may come next.

That BBC reports that Abdel Malik al-Houthi, the son of the movement's founder and its current leader, has sought to reassure foreign powers like the US.

The Washington Post reports that Yemen's former strongman Saleh has once again emerged as a key player.