Saada ( Arabic : صَعْدَة , romanized : Ṣaʿda ), situated in the northwest of Yemen, is the capital and largest city of the governorate of the same name , and the seat of the eponymous district . The city is located in the mountains of Serat (Sarawat) at an altitude of about 1,800 meters. In 2004, it was the tenth-largest city in Yemen and had an estimated population of 51,870.
146-1827: Stalemate [REDACTED] Yemen Hashed tribesmen [REDACTED] Saudi Arabia [REDACTED] Houthis Alleged: [REDACTED] Iran [REDACTED] Ali Abdullah Saleh [REDACTED] Ali Mohammed Mujur [REDACTED] Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar [REDACTED] Amr Ali Mousa Al-Uuzali † [REDACTED] Ali Salem al-Ameri † [REDACTED] Ahmed Bawazeir † [REDACTED] Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud [REDACTED] Khalid bin Sultan [REDACTED] Abdul-Malik al-Houthi [REDACTED] Yahya Badreddin al-Houthi [REDACTED] Yousuf al-Madani † [REDACTED] Taha al-Madani [REDACTED] Abu Ali Hakem [REDACTED] Abdullah al-Qa'ud [REDACTED] Abu Nasir [REDACTED] Nasir Muhammad al-Sayfi [REDACTED] Abd al-Muhsin al-Nimri [REDACTED] Shaykh al-A'sir al-Ka'bi Yemen : 30,000 in- theatre 66,700 total 3,000 tribal fighters Saudi Arabia: 199,500 total Alleged: Jordan: 2,000 Morocco Hundreds 100,000–150,000 Houthi rebels Alleged: Yemen: 126+ KIA (Government confirmed) 144–159 KIA (Independent estimate) 400–500 POW 3 fighter jets lost 69 Salafi fighters killed Saudi Arabia: 133 KIA 470 WIA 6 MIA (Saudi claim) 600+ KIA (Government claim) 458-544 KIA (Independent estimate) 1,000 POW (including at least 26 Somalis) Total Yemeni Casualties: 8,000 killed Saudi Civilian Casualties: 4 civilians killed Operation Scorched Earth ( Arabic : عملية الأرض المحروقة)
292-629: A Sanjak-bey with authority over 'Amran . Imam al-Mutahhar assassinated the Ottoman colonial governor and recaptured Sana'a, but the Ottomans, led by Özdemir Pasha , forced al-Mutahhar to retreat to his fortress in Thula . Özdemir Pasha effectively put Yemen under Ottoman rule between 1552 and 1560. Özdemir died in Sana'a in 1561 and was succeeded by Mahmud Pasha . Mahmud Pasha was described by other Ottoman officials as
438-567: A priest-king , or the head of the confederation of South Arabian kingdoms, the "king of the kings". The role of the Mukarrib was to bring the various tribes under the kingdom and preside over them all. The Sabaeans built the Great Dam of Marib around 940 BC. The dam was built to withstand the seasonal flash floods surging down the valley. By the third century BC, Qataban, Hadhramaut, and Ma'in became independent from Saba and established themselves in
584-563: A Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on a prison in Saada , killing at least 87 people. The northwestern mountainous area of Yemen where Saada is located in the Serat (Sarawat) Mountain area , which belongs to the remnants of the Asir Mountains (southern Hijaz Mountains ) extending southward to Yemen, adjacent to Yemen. The plateau area in the northeastern part of Yemen, generally belongs to
730-470: A Yemeni Sukhoi jet crashed northeast of Sa'dah in the Alanad district; the rebels claimed to have shot it down while the government again attributed the crash to technical problems. Further reports by Yemeni sources also claim these planes were shot down, adding that agents of Hezbollah armed with shoulder-fired missiles were responsible. The Saudi Al-Arabiya and Kuwaiti Al-Seyassah news networks noted that
876-498: A bitter conflict between different factions paved the way for an Aksumite intervention. The last Himyarite king Ma'adikarib Ya'fur was supported by Aksum against his Jewish rivals. Ma'adikarib was Christian and launched a campaign against the Lakhmids in southern Iraq , with the support of other Arab allies of Byzantium . The Lakhmids were a bulwark of Persia , which was intolerant to a proselytizing religion like Christianity. After
1022-465: A cohesive mechanism for succession, and family quarrels and tribal insubordination led to the political decline of the Qasimi dynasty in the 18th century. The British were looking for a coal depot to service their steamers en route to India. It took 700 tons of coal for a round-trip from Suez to Bombay . East India Company officials decided on Aden . The British Empire tried to reach an agreement with
1168-715: A consensual form of monotheism called Rahmanism . In 354, Roman Emperor Constantius II sent an embassy headed by Theophilos the Indian to convert the Himyarites to Christianity. According to Philostorgius , the mission was resisted by local Jews. Several inscriptions have been found in Hebrew and Sabaean praising the ruling house in Jewish terms for "...helping and empowering the People of Israel." According to Islamic traditions, King As'ad
1314-714: A corrupt and unscrupulous governor, and he was displaced by Ridvan Pasha in 1564. By 1565, Yemen was split into two provinces, the highlands under the command of Ridvan Pasha and Tihamah under Murad Pasha. Imam al-Mutahhar launched a propaganda campaign in which he claimed that the prophet Mohammed came to him in a dream and advised him to wage jihad against the Ottomans. Al-Mutahhar led the tribes to capture Sana'a from Ridvan Pasha in 1567. When Murad tried to relieve Sana'a, highland tribesmen ambushed his unit and slaughtered all of them. Over 80 battles were fought. The last decisive encounter took place in Dhamar around 1568, in which Murad Pasha
1460-468: A group of Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon was killed or captured by Yemeni forces. The official Yemen News Agency reported more heavy fighting in Sa'dah on 9 October, with Houthis launching suicide attacks and gaining some territory before government forces gained the upper hand, killing 100 and wounding more than 280 people. Dozens more casualties were reported in the following days. In the offensive's tenth week,
1606-542: A military offensive in the Saada Governorate which saw 20,000 refugees flee to Saada City, which marked Saudi Arabia's first involvement in the conflict. In February 2010, Houthis accepted the government's ceasefire proposal. In April, a United Nations team was allowed into Saada City. At the beginning of 2011, when the upheaval sweeping the Arab world was ascendant, Yemen protested against President Saleh's attempt to amend
SECTION 10
#17328560642351752-469: A politically motivated fabrication and stating that the ship was traveling for business activities and was carrying no consignment. In Saana, the government shut down an Iranian sponsored hospital after suspicions that the staff, which included eight Iranians, were providing aid to the rebels. Government officials claimed that hospital services were closed down due to a delay in rent payments, but security surrounded and blocked off patients from receiving aid. As
1898-494: A reptile found in northwestern Yemen. In 2004, Saada had an estimated population of 51,870 (49,422 according to official statistics), making it the tenth-largest city in Yemen at the time. [1] In 2013, Saada's population was estimated at 70,203 people. There is Saada Airport in the northwest of Saada (IATA code: SYE; ICAO code: OYSH), which has a runway of about 3,000 meters long and has no scheduled passenger flights. Saada Airport
2044-412: A trading hub for the export of goods north of Yemen to what is today Saudi Arabia. Caravans on the spice road pass through villages around Saada. The medieval old city of Saada was built in traditional ways, and around the old city there is a bustling new town with typical streets, garage-like workshops and typical Arabian-style shops. After Imam Hadi Yahya died, his sons successively served as Imams, but
2190-579: A treaty with imam Yahya Hamidaddin in 1911. Under the treaty, Imam Yahya was recognized as an autonomous leader of the Zaydi northern highlands. The Ottomans continued to rule Shafi'i areas in the mid-south until their departure in 1918. Sa%27dah The map of Yemen included Saada since the reign of the Ma'in Kingdom , the earliest country in the history of Yemen. Saada is one of the earliest medieval cities in Yemen,
2336-736: A war of attrition with the Zaydi imams in the northern highlands. During the last 12 years of Rasulid rule, the country was torn between several contenders for the kingdom. The weakening of the Rasulid provided an opportunity for the Banu Taher clan to take over and establish themselves as the new rulers of Yemen in 1454 AD. The Tahirids were a local clan based in Rada'a . They built schools, mosques, and irrigation channels, as well as water cisterns and bridges in Zabid, Aden, Rada'a , and Juban. Their best-known monument
2482-421: A week and a half of fighting. Abdul Malik al-Houthi reportedly suffered injuries during the fighting, but managed to escape to safety as Yemeni forces continued to engage rebels throughout the province. By 1 January 2010, Yemen's Higher Security Committee proposed a ceasefire, which was rejected. Houthi leader Abdul Malek al-Houthi said they would stop fighting to prevent further civilian casualties and suggested
2628-666: A wide array of subjects, ranging from astrology and medicine to agriculture and genealogy. They had a difficult relationship with the Mamluks of Egypt because the latter considered them a vassal state. Their competition centred over the Hejaz and the right to provide kiswa of the Ka'aba in Mecca. The dynasty became increasingly threatened by disgruntled family members over the problem of succession, combined with periodic tribal revolts, as they were locked in
2774-467: A worker with the Islamic Relief organization provided a detailed account from the ground. Schools became refugee collection centers and prices were hiked due to the closures of shops and businesses. Mortars, gunmen, and a government-imposed curfew hindered the efforts of refugees and aid workers to travel freely. Since the only hospital was located in the bombarded Old City, aid groups within Saada became
2920-686: A world city. In 1850, only 980 Arabs were registered as original inhabitants of the city. The English presence in Aden put them at odds with the Ottomans. The Turks asserted to the British that they held sovereignty over the whole of Arabia, including Yemen as the successor of Mohammed and the Chief of the Universal Caliphate. The Ottomans were concerned about the British expansion from the British ruled subcontinent to
3066-467: Is a mosque in the city for women to worship. In 2010, President Saleh announced the construction of Sa'ada University . Today, the tribes around Saada determine the fate of the city. Every Sunday, customers can buy carrots, carpets, silverware, electronic equipment and many other goods at Saada's market (Sunday Market). Saada is one of Yemen's main mass-market cities, with four bazaars. The residents of Saada are mainly Zayids , but historically, it
SECTION 20
#17328560642353212-527: Is one of Yemen's main airports operating domestic routes. Saada has a road leading to the capital Sanaa through Amran Governate . During the civil war in North Yemen , The monarchist armed forces repeatedly blocked this road between Sanaa and Saada to prevent republican control. There are also cross-border highways in Saada to Dhahran in Asir Province , Saudi Arabia , and cross-border highways to Najran ,
3358-525: Is one of the least developed countries in the world , facing significant obstacles to sustainable development , and is one of the poorest countries in the Middle East and North Africa . In 2019, the United Nations reported that Yemen had the highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid, amounting to about 24 million individuals, or nearly 75% of its population. As of 2020, Yemen ranked highest on
3504-686: Is still remembered as a great and much-loved sovereign, as attested in Yemeni historiography, literature, and popular lore, where she is referred to as Balqis al-sughra ("the junior queen of Sheba"). Shortly after Arwa's death, the country was split between five competing petty dynasties along religious lines. The Ayyubid dynasty overthrew the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt. A few years after their rise to power, Saladin dispatched his brother Turan Shah to conquer Yemen in 1174. Turan Shah conquered Zabid from
3650-609: Is the Amiriya Madrasa in Rada' District , which was built in 1504. The Tahirids were too weak either to contain the Zaydi imams or to defend themselves against foreign attacks. Realizing how rich the Tahirid realm was, the Mamluks decided to conquer it. The Mamluk army, with the support of forces loyal to Zaydi Imam Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din , conquered the entire Tahirid realm but failed to capture Aden in 1517. The Mamluk victory
3796-728: Is the second largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Sanaa is its constitutional capital and largest city. Yemen's estimated population is 34.7 million, mostly Arab Muslims . It is a member of the Arab League , the United Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Owing to its geographic location, Yemen has been at the crossroads of many civilisations for over 7,000 years. In 1200 BCE,
3942-703: The Battle of Marj Rahit . Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ziyad founded the Ziyadid dynasty in Tihamah around 818. The state stretched from Haly (in present-day Saudi Arabia) to Aden. They nominally recognized the Abbasid Caliphate but ruled independently from Zabid . By virtue of its location, they developed a special relationship with Abyssinia . The chief of the Dahlak islands exported slaves, as well as amber and leopard hides, to
4088-671: The Fragile States Index and second-worst on the Global Hunger Index , surpassed only by the Central African Republic . Additionally, it has the lowest Human Development Index out of all non-African countries. The term Yamnat was first mentioned in the Old South Arabian inscriptions on the title of one of the kings of the second Himyarite Kingdom known as Shammar Yahri'sh . The term probably referred to
4234-638: The Hajj approached during the month of November, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad noted that "appropriate measures" would be taken in case Iranian pilgrims faced restrictions. On 13 November 2009, the Iranian group Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom denounced the Yemeni and Saudi offensives against the Houthis. Two days later, Iranian Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani accused the United States of cooperating with
4380-703: The Mahdids in 1174, then marched toward Aden in June and captured it from the Zurayids. The Hamdanid sultans of Sana'a resisted the Ayyubid in 1175, and the Ayyubids did not manage to secure Sana'a until 1189. The Ayyubid rule was stable in southern and central Yemen, where they succeeded in eliminating the ministates of that region, while Ismaili and Zaidi tribesmen continued to hold out in several fortresses. The Ayyubids failed to capture
4526-660: The Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen , and put his respect No. is included in the country name. In September 1962, the "Freedom Officers" organization headed by Abdullah al-Sallal launched a military coup in the capital, Sana, to overthrow the Qasem dynasty and establish the Yemen Arab Republic . The Qassem royal family and the monarchist forces first fled from Sana to the northern mountainous area centered on Saada, and then to neighboring Saudi Arabia, where they fought against
Operation Scorched Earth - Misplaced Pages Continue
4672-701: The Republic of Yemen , is a country in West Asia . Located in southern Arabia , it borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Red Sea to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south, sharing maritime borders with Eritrea , Djibouti and Somalia across the Horn of Africa . Covering roughly 528,000 square kilometres (203,861 square miles), with a coastline of approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles), Yemen
4818-576: The Sabaeans formed a thriving commercial kingdom that included parts of modern Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 275 CE, it was succeeded by the Himyarite Kingdom , which spanned much of Yemen's present-day territory and was heavily influenced by Judaism. Christianity arrived in the fourth century, followed by the rapid spread of Islam in the seventh century. Yemenite troops played a crucial role in early Islamic conquests. Various dynasties emerged between
4964-703: The fall of Baghdad to the Mongols in 1258, al-Muzaffar Yusuf I appropriated the title of caliph . He chose the city of Taiz to become the political capital of the kingdom because of its strategic location and proximity to Aden. The Rasulid sultans built numerous Madrasas to solidify the Shafi'i school of thought, which is still the dominant school of jurisprudence amongst Yemenis today. Under their rule, Taiz and Zabid became major international centres of Islamic learning. The kings were educated men in their own right, who not only had important libraries but also wrote treatises on
5110-655: The "year of delegations" around 630–631. Several Yemenis accepted Islam before 630, such as Ammar ibn Yasir , Al-Ala'a Al-Hadrami , Miqdad ibn Aswad , Abu Musa Ashaari , and Sharhabeel ibn Hasana . A man named 'Abhala ibn Ka'ab Al-Ansi expelled the remaining Persians and claimed he was a prophet of Rahman . He was assassinated by a Yemeni of Persian origin called Fayruz al-Daylami . Christians, who were mainly staying in Najran along with Jews, agreed to pay jizyah ( Arabic : جِـزْيَـة ), although some Jews converted to Islam, such as Wahb ibn Munabbih and Ka'ab al-Ahbar . Yemen
5256-470: The 15th century, Portugal intervened, dominating the port of Aden for about 20 years and maintaining a fortified enclave on the island of Socotra during this period. From the 16th century, the Portuguese posed an immediate threat to Indian Ocean trade. The Mamluks therefore sent an army under Hussein al-Kurdi to fight the intruders The Mamluk sultan went to Zabid in 1515 and entered into diplomatic talks with
5402-596: The 9th and 16th centuries. During the 19th century, the country was divided between the Ottoman and British empires. After World War I , the Kingdom of Yemen was established, which in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) following a coup. In 1967, the British Aden Protectorate became the independent People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), the first and only officially socialist state in
5548-675: The Amran governorate. Fighting also continued in Sa'dah city and killed seven soldiers and eleven rebels. Houthis repulsed an attempted army infiltration in the Al-Aqab district killing an unspecified number of Yemeni soldiers. Meanwhile, Saudis carried out 13 air raids on the Harf Sufyan, Jouan and Jebel Talan districts. During the fighting, roughly 20,000 refugees fled to the provincial capital. The increase in population forced residents to share houses with refugees, along with food and water. Street fights and
5694-582: The Arab Republic of Yemen in the north and the Democratic People's Republic of Yemen in the south announced their unification and established the Yemen Republic, and Sada has been under the rule of the Yemen Republic since then. The northwestern mountainous area with Saada and its surrounding areas as the core was neglected economically, even though it was the base camp of the former royal family and
5840-610: The Arab allies that were interested in maintaining independence from other Arab states in the region. The Ottomans had two fundamental interests to safeguard in Yemen: The Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and the trade route with India in spices and textiles—both threatened, and the latter virtually eclipsed, by the arrival of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in the early 16th century. Hadım Suleiman Pasha ,
5986-418: The Arab world. In 1990, the two Yemeni states united to form the modern Republic of Yemen, with Ali Abdullah Saleh serving as the first president until his resignation in 2012 in the wake of the Arab Spring . Since 2011, Yemen has been enduring a political crisis , marked by street protests against poverty, unemployment, corruption, and President Saleh's plan to amend Yemen's constitution and eliminate
Operation Scorched Earth - Misplaced Pages Continue
6132-410: The Arabian Empire. Less than 4 years after the establishment of the second dynasty of the Arab Empire, the Abbasid dynasty , due to the dissatisfaction of the Yemenis with the tyranny of the governor of the empire, the Saada region in the north of Yemen and the Hadhramaut region in the south broke out against the rule of the Abbasid dynasty uprisings but were eventually suppressed by the authorities. In
6278-451: The Hashemite family), the theologian Al-Qasim al-Rassi formulated the teachings of Zaid, a Shiite sect. At the end of the 9th century, Qasim's grandson Yahya bin Hassan decided to preach in Yemen and develop the cause of the Zaydis. In 893, Yahya came to the north of Yemen to promote the teachings of Zaydism, but at first he did not get the support of the local people, so he returned to his hometown of Medina. In 896, some tribal leaders from
6424-631: The Himyarites and Habashat, i.e. , Aksum . El Sharih took pride in his campaigns and added the title Yahdhib to his name, which means "suppressor"; he used to kill his enemies by cutting them to pieces. Sana'a came into prominence during his reign, as he built the Ghumdan Palace as his place of residence. The Himyarites annexed Sana'a from Hamdan around 100 AD. Hashdi tribesmen rebelled against them and regained Sana'a around 180. Shammar Yahri'sh had conquered Hadhramaut, Najran , and Tihamah by 275, thus unifying Yemen and consolidating Himyarite rule. The Himyarites rejected polytheism and adhered to
6570-412: The Houthi movement. The Houthi movement, formerly known as "Youth of Beliefs", was founded in 1992 in Saada province by Hussein al-Houthi , a religious and military leader from the Sadazaid Houthi tribe. Houthi, a former member of the Yemen House of Representatives and an opponent of Saleh's government, began preparing an armed rebellion against the government in 2004. But on September 1 of that year, he
6716-449: The Houthis and Saudi security forces near the border. Since the beginning of the operation, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of supporting the Yemeni government and conducting bombing raids into Yemen. Prior to this, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh held talks in the Moroccan city of Agadir with Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and King Abdullah II of Jordan . Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Morocco would later play roles in
6862-424: The Houthis announced that they had successfully shot down a Yemen Air Force MiG-21 fighter jet in the al-Sha'af district . A senior Yemeni military official denied the claim and said the plane ran into a mountain peak because of a technical fault. Contrary to state media, another Yemeni military commander told the AFP news agency that the aircraft had been "flying at low altitude" when it was hit. Three days later,
7008-407: The Main Kingdom started from Hadhramaut in the south and reached Hejaz (Hijaz) in the north. Today, the area where Sadaa is located is also within the territory of the Main Kingdom. After the decline and fall of the Main Kingdom in the 7th century BC, Saada belonged to the Kingdom of Sheba , the Kingdom of Himyar , the Aksum Empire in Ethiopia, the Sassanid Dynasty in the Persian Empire, and
7154-416: The Malaheedh, Mahadher, Khafji, and Hasama districts, including the headquarters of the rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. After two days of bombardment, the Yemeni government offered ceasefire terms to the rebels, which included demands for information on the six hostages who disappeared back in June. The rebels rejected the terms, and the fighting continued. After three weeks, the provincial capital Sa'dah
7300-488: The Ottoman governor of Egypt , was ordered to command a fleet of 90 ships to conquer Yemen. The country was in a state of incessant anarchy and discord as Pasha described it by saying: Yemen is a land with no lord, an empty province. It would be not only possible but easy to capture, and should it be captured, it would be master of the lands of India and send every year a great amount of gold and jewels to Constantinople . Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din ruled over
7446-465: The Perfect mounted a military expedition to support the Jews of Yathrib . Abu Kariba As'ad, as known from the inscriptions, led a military campaign to central Arabia or Najd to support the vassal Kingdom of Kinda against the Lakhmids . However, no direct reference to Judaism or Yathrib was discovered from his lengthy reign. Abu Kariba died in 445, having reigned for almost 50 years. By 515, Himyar became increasingly divided along religious lines and
SECTION 50
#17328560642357592-419: The Persians calling the Abyssinians whom they came into contact with in South Arabia by the name of the black-skinned people who lived next to them. Yemen has existed at the crossroads of its civilisations for more than 7,000 years. The country was home to figures such as the Queen of Sheba who brought a caravan of gifts for King Solomon . For centuries, it became a primary producer of coffee exported in
7738-405: The Red Sea and Arabia. They returned to the Tihamah in 1849 after an absence of two centuries. Rivalries and disturbances continued among the Zaydi imams, between them and their deputies, with the ulema , with the heads of tribes, as well as with those who belonged to other sects. Some citizens of Sana'a were desperate to return law and order to Yemen and asked the Ottoman Pasha in Tihamah to pacify
7884-410: The Republican Palace. After four hours of combat, the attack was repelled by government air support. The Yemeni government claimed to have killed 153 rebels and captured 70, while only having suffered two deaths and 20 injuries. Fighting continued into October, with Houthi rebels claiming to have captured the town of Munabbih , one of the fifteen districts of the Sa'dah governorate. On 2 October 2009,
8030-442: The Roman expedition has yet been found. After the Roman expedition (perhaps earlier) the country fell into chaos, and two clans, namely Hamdan and Himyar , claimed kingship, assuming the title King of Sheba and Dhu Raydan . Dhu Raydan, i.e. , Himyarites, allied themselves with Aksum in Ethiopia against the Sabaeans. The chief of Bakil and king of Saba and Dhu Raydan, El Sharih Yahdhib , launched successful campaigns against
8176-442: The Saada and Howran areas in northern Yemen invited Yahya to return to Yemen to mediate local tribal conflicts. In 897, Yahya returned to Saada with his uncle Muhammad bin Qasim (son of Qasim Rasi) and some other followers, successfully mediating the local tribal conflict and obtaining their Support and allegiance, and are embraced as their leader, titled "Imam Hadi" ("Imam" and "Hadi" both mean leader in Arabic). Imam Hadi Yahya ordered
8322-483: The Sabaeans. The Romans had a vague and contradictory geographical knowledge about Arabia Felix. A Roman army of 10,000 men was defeated before reaching Marib . Strabo 's close relationship with Aelius Gallus led him to attempt to justify his friend's defeat in his writings. It took the Romans six months to reach Marib and 60 days to return to Egypt . The Romans blamed their Nabataean guide and executed him for treachery. No direct mention in Sabaean inscriptions of
8468-464: The Saudi campaign. A few days later, Iran announced plans to send warships to the Gulf of Aden as a means of protecting trade routes against Somali pirates. This move coincided with the Saudi naval blockade in the Red Sea to stop arms shipments allegedly from Tehran and Eritrea to the Houthis. Three Saudi warships with marine commandos from the Yanbu naval base patrolled the waters off the coast of northern Yemen. Yemen Yemen , officially
8614-433: The Tahiri sultan 'Amir bin Abdulwahab for money that would be needed for the jihad against the Portuguese. Instead of confronting them, the Mamluks, who were running out of food and water, landed on the coast of Yemen and began harassing the villagers of Tihamah to obtain the supplies they needed. The interest of Portugal on the Red Sea consisted on the one hand of guaranteeing contacts with a Christian ally in Ethiopia and on
8760-404: The Yemeni arena. Minaean rule stretched as far as Dedan , with their capital at Baraqish . The Sabaeans regained their control over Ma'in after the collapse of Qataban in 50 BC. By the time of the Roman expedition to Arabia Felix in 25 BC, the Sabaeans were once again the dominating power in Southern Arabia. Aelius Gallus was ordered to lead a military campaign to establish Roman dominance over
8906-469: The Yemeni army retreated to a valley outside Mecca. Ottoman troops attacked the Yemenis by hiding at the wells that supplied them with water. This plan proceeded successfully, causing the Yemenis over 200 casualties, most from thirst. The tribesmen eventually surrendered and returned to Yemen. Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad died in 1644. He was succeeded by Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il , another son of al-Mansur al-Qasim, who conquered Yemen in its entirety. Yemen became
SECTION 60
#17328560642359052-441: The Yemeni government truce offer. Following the truce, the Houthis claimed that Saudis continued with air and missile attacks. The situation deteriorated on 31 January 2010 after the Yemeni government turned down a truce offer by the Houthis. Made by Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, the offer was rejected because he demanded that the government end its military operations first. Yemen continued with the military offensive, killing 12 Houthis in
9198-492: The Yemeni government, killing 15 Yemeni soldiers in an ambush in Wadi Al-Jabara district and killing 8 soldiers during street battles in Sa'dah city that day. The same day, Saudi air raids destroyed four civilian residences and injured two women. The Saudi military fired 174 rockets and mortars at the rebel controlled Al-Dhaher, Qamamat, Ghafereh, Al-Rammadiat and Shada districts. The last round of skirmishes occurred on 11 February 2010 with five soldiers and thirteen rebels dying in
9344-455: The Yemeni president in July 2008. In July and early August 2009, local officials said the fighters had taken control of parts of the Saada Governorate, including a vital army post near the province's capital. After the government promised to adopt an "iron fist" policy against the rebels, Yemeni troops backed by tanks and fighter aircraft launched a major offensive on rebel strongholds on 11 August 2009. Air, artillery, and missile attacks targeted
9490-403: The Yemeni society, while Yemenite Jews came to perceive themselves in Yemeni nationalist terms. The Ottomans appeased the tribes by forgiving their rebellious chiefs and appointing them to administrative posts. They introduced a series of reforms to enhance the country's economic welfare. However, corruption was widespread in the Ottoman administration in Yemen. This was because only the worst of
9636-516: The Yufirids in 901 but failed miserably. The Sulayhid dynasty was founded in the northern highlands around 1040; at the time, Yemen was ruled by different local dynasties. In 1060, Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Sulayhi conquered Zabid and killed its ruler Al-Najah, founder of the Najahid dynasty. His sons were forced to flee to Dahlak. Hadhramaut fell into Sulayhid hands after their capture of Aden in 1162. By 1063, Ali had subjugated Greater Yemen . He then marched toward Hejaz and occupied Makkah . Ali
9782-409: The Zayde faction and the government of the Republic of Yemen had achieved formal national unification. Still not developed, the government of the Republic has no local authority. At the same time, Yemen's northern population, including Sa'da, is dominated by Zaydis believers and has long been at odds with the Sunni-dominated south. Although President Saleh , who united Yemen, was from the Zaid faction in
9928-515: The Zaydi imam of Sana'a, permitting them a foothold in Mocha, and when unable to secure their position, they extracted a similar agreement from the Sultan of Lahej , enabling them to consolidate a position in Aden. The British managed to occupy Aden and evicted the Sultan of Lahej from Aden and forced him to accept their "protection". In November 1839, 5,000 tribesmen tried to retake the town but were repulsed and 200 were killed. With emigrants from India, East Africa, and Southeast Asia, Aden grew into
10074-408: The Zaydis stronghold in northern Yemen. In 1191, Zaydis of Shibam Kawkaban rebelled and killed 700 Ayyubid soldiers. Imam Abdullah bin Hamza proclaimed the imamate in 1197 and fought al-Mu'izz Ismail, the Ayyubid Sultan of Yemen. Imam Abdullah was defeated at first but was able to conquer Sana'a and Dhamar in 1198, and al-Mu'izz Ismail was assassinated in 1202. Abdullah bin Hamza carried on
10220-486: The Zurayids to govern Aden. al-Mukarram, who had been afflicted with facial paralysis resulting from war injuries, retired in 1087 and handed over power to his wife Arwa al-Sulayhi . Queen Arwa moved the seat of the Sulayhid dynasty from Sana'a to Jibla , a small town in central Yemen near Ibb . She sent Ismaili missionaries to India, where a significant Ismaili community was formed that exists to this day. Queen Arwa continued to rule securely until her death in 1138. She
10366-441: The abduction. Initial official statements suggested Houthi rebels had seized the group. However, according to Yemen's news agency, Houthi rebels accused drug cartels of the kidnapping and the three subsequent murders. A spokesman for the insurgents accused regional tribes of being responsible for the kidnappings and slayings. A government committee criticized the fighters for not abiding by an agreement to end hostilities announced by
10512-520: The ancient city of Saada to guard the city: the three fortresses of Turmus, Alsama, and Sinara, and the fortress of Abra rebuilt by the Ottoman Turks. Ten small villages in the valley outside the city, with beautiful houses surrounded by farmland, vineyards and fruit trees. There are 14 mosques built from the 10th to the 16th centuries in the ancient city, among which the Imam Hadi Mosque contains
10658-454: The architectural style of the Middle Ages without interruption and have a very typical land structure that represents the entire region. The wall of the ancient city of Saada is about 3,000 meters long and 4 meters thick. There are 52 watchtowers and 16 city gates on the city wall, the most famous of which are the "Yemen Gate" and the "Najlan Gate". There is an iron ore slag mountain in the city,
10804-652: The attacks. As the war extended into December, reports indicated that Moroccan special forces had joined the 2,000 Jordanian commandos on the ground. Clashes continued throughout the month of December along the border. As the fighting extended into January, Samira al-Madani became the first female journalist in Saudi Arabian history to report from the battlefield near the border. She also interviewed several soldiers and Prince Gazan Mohamed bin Nasser bin Abdul Aziz, who briefed her on
10950-697: The base camp of the Houthis and the birthplace of the Houthi movement . It has been under the control of the Houthis since the end of the Yemeni revolution and was the first city to split from the central government in Yemen during the ongoing Yemeni crisis . About the 14th century BC, the Main people established the first country in the history of Yemen, the Main Kingdom, in the present-day Al Jawf Governorate (the eastern neighbouring province of today's Saada Province). At its peak,
11096-550: The birthplace of the Shiite sect of Islam in Yemen, and the base of the regime of the Zaydi Imam of Yemen . From the beginning of the 9th century to the 20th century, the Rassid dynasty , the longest reigning dynasty in Yemen history (the dynasty's direct line was replaced by the collateral dynasty Qassem dynasty since the end of the 16th century), made its fortune in Saada. Saada is also
11242-543: The border, but made clear Riyadh was no longer prepared to tolerate the Yemeni rebels. By 8 November 2009, Saudi Arabia confirmed that it had entered the fray, claiming to have "regained control" of the Jabal al-Dukhan mountain from the rebels. Around this time, Jordanian commandos, who had arrived in Saudi camps a few days prior, backed up Saudi forces in efforts to take Al-Dukhan mountain. The Jordanians reportedly sustained casualties in
11388-467: The capital of Najran Province , Saudi Arabia. Saada is one of the oldest medieval cities in Yemen and is of great significance to Yemen's historical, architectural, urban and spiritual values. Saada has been a stronghold of the Zaydis since the city was founded by Imam Hadi Yahya in the late 9th century. The ancient city of Sada has been prosperous for a long time. The buildings in the city continue to follow
11534-442: The ceasefire would go into effect for three days, with the possibility of becoming a permanent ceasefire upon certain conditions being met. The Houthis responded by saying they would abide by the ceasefire in exchange for prisoners, some of which they claimed had been held for years. However, both sides claimed that the other had not laid down arms. The Houthis asserted that the government continued air and rocket attacks. In contrast,
11680-545: The civil war, the Saada area, the former royal base and the stronghold of the Zaydis, was an important town for the struggle between the republicans and the monarchists. On February 18, 1963, the Egyptian Vice President and Defense Minister Field Marshal Amer commanded the North Yemen Republican Army to capture the city of Saada, and Saada has been under the control of the republicans since then. Although
11826-658: The collapse of ancient South Arabian civilization, since the greater part of the country was under several independent clans until the arrival of Islam in 630. Muhammad sent his cousin Ali to Sana'a and its surroundings around 630. At the time, Yemen was the most advanced region in Arabia. The Banu Hamdan confederation was among the first to accept Islam. Muhammad sent Muadh ibn Jabal , as well to Al-Janad, in present-day Taiz , and dispatched letters to various tribal leaders. Major tribes, including Himyar, sent delegations to Medina during
11972-588: The constitution and re-elected after 32 years in power. Because of the "Dignity Judah" event, that year was also called the "Revolution of Dignity"), the Houthis also took the opportunity to make a comeback and the rebellion re-emerged. On February 27 of that year, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi , a leader of the Houthi movement from the Saada region and brother of the late leader Hassan Houthi, announced his support for anti-government demonstrators. In February and March of that year, thousands of protesters marched weekly in Saada from
12118-504: The construction of the city of Sa'da, where the Imam regime of the integration of state and religion was established, and Sa'da became the birthplace and permanent foothold of the Zayd faction in Yemen. The land, Saada is also the first surviving city with a unique Arab-Islamic architectural style, and the Zaydis are still one of the most influential Islamic sects in Yemen. Since Imam Hadi Yahya's hometown
12264-421: The continual breaking of ceasefires posed many problems for civilians, along with hot days and rainy nights. Mobile phone networks were cut off during the beginning of war, making it nearly impossible to communicate with the outside world. United Nations aide workers were forced to pull out, but a few remained, often finding themselves pinned down in their homes. Government operations were concentrated primarily in
12410-571: The country were generally off limits. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Yemen Red Crescent Society sponsored four camps for internally displaced persons on the outskirts of and within the city, but one had to be dismantled and the refugees moved after being caught in crossfire. Prior to the war, an estimated 120,000 were already displaced as a result of the four previous wars. The northwestern village of Al-Mazrak became
12556-452: The country. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 strengthened the Ottoman decision to remain in Yemen. By 1873, the Ottomans succeeded in conquering the northern highlands. Sana'a became the administrative capital of Yemen Vilayet . The Ottomans learned from their previous experience and worked on the disempowerment of local lords in the highland regions. They even attempted to secularize
12702-463: The death of Ma'adikarib Ya'fur around 521, a Himyarite Jewish warlord called Dhu Nuwas rose to power. Emperor Justinian I sent an embassy to Yemen. He wanted the officially Christian Himyarites to use their influence on the tribes in inner Arabia to launch military operations against Persia. Justinian I bestowed the "dignity of king" upon the Arab sheikhs of Kindah and Ghassan in central and northern Arabia. From early on, Roman and Byzantine policy
12848-522: The entrance to Saada city. On March 26, the Houthis appointed Fares Manaa , a top arms dealer in the Middle East and a former ally of President Saleh, as the new governor of Saada Province, and announced the establishment of a government agency that was completely independent of the central government in Sanaa. The new government of Sa'ada has made Sa'ada the first city to break away from the central government in
12994-469: The fight against the Houthis. Morocco, which had severed ties with Iran in March of that year, noted that Tehran's alleged backing of the Houthis helped in the decision to later send troops. Around this period, Yemeni officials claimed to have captured a boat in the Red Sea that was transporting anti-tank shells. Five Iranian "instructors" were also captured. Various official Iranian sources responded, calling it
13140-477: The first Zaydis Imam Hadi and his 11 successors. It is the oldest Shi'ite mosque in the Arabian Peninsula and the third oldest mosque in Yemen. It was heavily damaged in an airstrike in May 2015. Hadi Mosque and Nisari Mosque are both considered high-level educational and religious sites and have undeniable architectural value; various domes and minartets of mosques in Saada city are rare and beautiful; in addition, there
13286-540: The first two months of the offensive, although this cannot be verified. On 23 January 2010, the Saudi government released new figures confirming 133 soldiers had been killed and six were still missing. Upon the onset of the conflict, camps were set up along the border area between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Other camps and settlements were dispersed throughout the Hajjah, Amran, and Al-Jawf provinces. Aid agencies tried organizing routes through Saudi Arabia, since domestic roads into
13432-403: The government claimed the Houthis launched attacks in the Amran and Saada provinces. A Human Rights Watch report noted how the Houthis attacked the village of Mudaqqa on 16 September, prompting a government response. The next day, the rebels attacked Sa'dah from three directions in a pre-dawn strike. Hundreds of fighters used at least 70 vehicles to assault checkpoints in the city while storming
13578-431: The important highland centre Sana'a. However, the Rasulid capitals were Zabid and Taiz. He was assassinated by his nephew in 1249. Omar's son Yousef defeated the faction led by his father's assassins and crushed several counterattacks by the Zaydi imams who still held on in the northern highland. Mainly because of the victories he scored over his rivals, he assumed the honorific title "al-Muzaffar" (the victorious). After
13724-559: The land. Ahmed Izzet Pasha proposed that the Ottoman army evacuate the highlands and confine itself to Tihamah, and not unnecessarily burden itself with continuing military operation against the Zaydi tribes. Imam Yahya Hamidaddin led a rebellion against the Turks in 1904; the rebels disrupted the Ottoman ability to govern. The revolts between 1904 and 1911 were especially damaging to the Ottomans, costing them as many as 10,000 soldiers and as much as 500,000 pounds per year. The Ottomans signed
13870-539: The later period of the Abbasid Dynasty, the warlords were divided, and the centralized power existed in name only, and various territories of the empire, including Yemen, established a group of independent or semi-independent regimes of the caliphate of Baghdad. At the beginning of the 9th century, the saint who lived in the holy city of Medina in Islam (the descendant of Hasan ibn Ali , the second Shia imam who claimed to be
14016-490: The lives of more than 80 people in a camp for displaced people in the 'Amran Governorate'. On the same day, rebels and government forces also saw massive military action around Sa'dah. Yemeni press releases and military officials claimed that several Houthi leaders were among the dead. Another ceasefire was agreed on 19 September in commemoration of the Islamic holiday, Eid ul-fitr . The government announced on state television that
14162-421: The main collection center for refugees with three camps set up for 23,000 displaced persons and 70,000 more outside the camp. UNICEF played a major role in creating educational environments for children and finding and hiring instructors. The village was home to the only camp that was open to United Nations workers during the war. The conflict took international dimension in late October 2009 with clashes between
14308-576: The mountainous northwest of Yemen where Sa'da is located has always been the Imam Dynasty the last fortress. The Ottoman Empire was defeated and disintegrated in World War I, and the northern Yemen region under the former Ottoman Empire, including Saada, gained full independence in 1918. The Imam of the Qasem dynasty of the Zaydisi, Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din ("Imam Mutawakil"), announced the establishment of
14454-496: The mountains of northern Yemen as early as 5000 BC. The Sabaean Kingdom came into existence in at least the 12th century BC. The four major kingdoms or tribal confederations in South Arabia were Saba, Hadhramaut , Qataban , and Ma'in . Sabaʾ ( Arabic : سَـبَـأ ) is thought to be biblical Sheba and was the most prominent federation. The Sabaean rulers adopted the title Mukarrib generally thought to mean unifier , or
14600-403: The mountains. By December, a Somali diplomat claimed that many Somali refugees faced abduction by the Houthis as they fled into Saudi Arabia. Those who refused faced execution. By early November, the rebels stated that Saudi Arabia was permitting Yemeni army units to launch attacks across the border from a base in Jabal al-Dukhan, which the Yemeni government later denied. The conflict spilled into
14746-514: The neighboring Saudi Arabia on 3 November 2009 when a Saudi border patrol was ambushed in a cross-border attack, killing one soldier and wounding eleven more. The Kingdom's news agency later added that a second soldier died from injuries suffered during the fight. Following the cross-border ambush on 3 November, Saudi Arabia responded by moving troops to the border and striking Houthi positions on 5 November 2009, using F-15 and Tornado jets . Saudi Arabia denied hitting any targets inside Yemen, but it
14892-551: The north (formerly the Arab Republic of Yemen), he used the power of neighboring Saudi Arabia in the 1994 civil war to defeat the separatist forces in the south, while the Zaid faction After the war complained that the Saleh government allowed the Wahhabis, who dominate Saudi Arabia, to have too much say in Yemen. In 2004, an insurgency against Saleh's government was spearheaded in Sa'ada, led by
15038-411: The northern highlands including Sana'a, while Aden was held by the last Tahiride Sultan 'Amir ibn Dauod. Pasha stormed Aden in 1538, killing its ruler, and extended Ottoman authority to include Zabid in 1539 and eventually Tihamah in its entirety. Zabid became the administrative headquarters of Yemen Eyalet . The Ottoman governors did not exercise much control over the highlands. They held sway mainly in
15184-458: The northern parts of the Old City, including the residential neighborhoods of Al-Rout, Al-Shaab, Al-Jarba, Al-Toot, and Bab Najran. The Bab Najran neighborhood in particular was cited as a main rebel stronghold and suffered frequent shelling from tanks and artillery. Houthi sources claimed that government forces used bulldozers to clear houses and other rebel positions during operations. A letter from
15330-440: The notion of the land to the right ( 𐩺𐩣𐩬 ). Other sources claim that Yemen is related to yamn or yumn , meaning "felicity" or "blessed", as much of the country is fertile, in contrast to the barren land of most of Arabia. The Romans called it Arabia Felix ("happy" or "fortunate" Arabia "), as opposed to Arabia Deserta ("deserted Arabia"). Latin and Greek writers referred to ancient Yemen as "India", which arose from
15476-538: The officials were appointed because those who could avoid serving in Yemen did so. The Ottomans had reasserted control over the highlands for a temporary duration. The so-called Tanzimat reforms were considered heretic by the Zaydi tribes. In 1876, the Hashid and Bakil tribes rebelled against the Ottomans; the Turks had to appease them with gifts to end the uprising. The tribal chiefs were difficult to appease and an endless cycle of violence curbed Ottoman efforts to pacify
15622-424: The old city gate to the barracks of government security forces. On March 18 (Friday, Sunday), government snipers opened fire on crowds participating in a large-scale protest in the capital, Sana, causing a large number of casualties. The actions of the government forces have sparked nationwide outrage and a large number of government members defecting on a day known as "Dignity Lord's Day". On March 19, in response to
15768-463: The ongoing Yemeni crisis . Sa'ada has been under the control of the Houthis since the end of the Saddam campaign. In March 2015, the Houthis, which had taken control of the capital Sanaa and established themselves in the center, announced that they would overthrow the remnants of Hadi's government that had fled to the south to unify the country, triggering a new civil war. In the new civil war, Yemen
15914-409: The only source of the population's limited food, water, and improvised shelter. On 12 February 2010, the Houthis accepted the government's ceasefire proposal. A Yemeni General claimed the Houthis violated the ceasefire on the same day, claiming that four soldiers were killed in two districts while adding that an attempt was made to assassinate him. The Houthis denied responsibility for this attack. As
16060-427: The other of being able to attack Mecca and the Arab territories from the rear, while still having absolute dominance over trade of spices, the main intention was to dominate the commerce of the cities on the coast of Africa and Arabia. To this end, Portugal sought to influence and dominate by force or persuasion all the ports and kingdoms that fought among themselves. It was common for Portugal to keep under its influence
16206-418: The port of Mocha . From its conversion to Islam in the 7th century, Yemen became a center of Islamic learning, and much of its architecture survived until modern times. With its long sea border between eastern and western civilizations, Yemen has long existed at a crossroads of cultures with a strategic location in terms of trade on the west of the Arabian Peninsula. Large settlements for their era existed in
16352-488: The presidential term limit. By 2015, the country became engulfed by an ongoing civil war with multiple entities vying for governance, including the Presidential Leadership Council of the internationally recognized government, and the Houthi movement 's Supreme Political Council . This conflict, which has escalated to involve various foreign powers, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis . Yemen
16498-404: The previous day's "Journal of Dignity", Houthi fighters entered the city of Sa'ada and the Battle of Saada began. The Houthis fought fiercely with the armed forces of Sheikh Ottoman Mujali, a pro-government tribal leader in the city, and took control of the city on March 24. Hajar and members of the local government fled to the capital, Sanaa, and Houthi fighters set up military checkpoints at
16644-479: The process. Early February saw a new round of attacks by Yemeni forces on Sa'ada. Saudi Arabia also rejoined the fight with air raids. On 5 February 2010, the Yemeni court sentenced Yayha Al-Houthi, the brother of the Houthis' leader Abdul-Malek Al-Houthi, to 15 years imprisonment. The Yemeni MP was tried in absentia due to his involvement in the Shia insurgency. On 6 February 2010, the Houthis renewed their attacks against
16790-710: The rebels captured a military base near the Saudi border in the Razeh district of Sa'dah governorate. The fighters also seized a military center, a government building, and even Razeh's airport. The month of October saw the involvement of Somali forces alongside the Houthis. Some 200 Somali recruits arrived on boats via the Red Sea and were mainly sent on suicide missions against government and military targets in Saada City. Yemen would later claim to have captured 28 Somali troops. Other sources indicated that Somali fighters were used to dig trenches to hide ammunition and launch ambushes from
16936-452: The remainder of February progressed, it became clear that the fighting had ended. By the 25th, reports indicated that the Houthis, under the conditions that they would remain masked and would not be followed, had agreed to leave their final positions in northern Saada City. Yemeni engineers then cleared homes from mines and booby traps. A United Nations team, including a representative of the UNHCR ,
17082-563: The remnants of the mine artisan workshops are centuries old, and a fortress from the 16th to 18th centuries was built on the hill. The Zaydis Muslim Cemetery outside the ancient city of Sa’da is the largest and oldest cemetery in Yemen, with countless elaborately carved tombstones erected in the cemetery. Outside the "Yemen Gate", there is an ancient cistern, and there are huge rocks with Neolithic carvings of now-extinct wild animals, as well as ibex and human figures, which are Yemen's oldest rock carvings. There are also four fortresses built outside
17228-458: The republican faction and the monarchist faction changed their offensive and defensive positions several times, the republican faction, even when it was at a disadvantage, repelled the monarchy's attack on Sada and successfully defended Sada. In July 1970, the civil war in North Yemen ended, the republican faction won the final victory, and the Arab Republic of Yemen was recognized by the international community, including Saudi Arabia. On May 22, 1990,
17374-591: The republican faction together with the northern tribes who supported the royal family, thus setting off a long-term crisis. Eight years of civil war in North Yemen. Yemen's monarchists were supported by Saudi Arabia, which is also a monarchy, while the republicans were supported by the United Arab Republic led by President Nasser. Sent troops to North Yemen to help the Republic resist the Monarchist faction. During
17520-654: The ruler of Yemen. They controlled only a small portion of the coastal strip in Tihamah along the Red Sea, and never exercised control over the highlands and Hadhramaut. A Himyarite clan called the Yufirids established their rule over the highlands from Saada to Taiz , while Hadhramaut was an Ibadi stronghold and rejected all allegiance to the Abbasids in Baghdad . The first Zaidi imam, Yahya ibn al-Husayn , arrived in Yemen in 893. He
17666-409: The situation. The Yemeni government launched a direct attack into Saada on 7 December 2009. Forces attacked the barricaded strongholds of the city hoping to end the battle quickly and decisively. Fighting continued past 11 December 2009 with Houthi forces still holding out in barricaded houses of the Old City. The battle for the city appeared to have ended following the arrest of some 200 fighters after
17812-751: The sole coffee producer in the world. The country established diplomatic relations with the Safavid dynasty of Persia, Ottomans of Hejaz, Mughal Empire in India, and Ethiopia, as well. In the first half of the 18th century, the Europeans broke Yemen's monopoly on coffee by smuggling coffee trees and cultivating them in their own colonies in the East Indies, East Africa, the West Indies, and Latin America. The imamate did not follow
17958-487: The southern coastal region, particularly around Zabid, Mocha, and Aden. Of 80,000 soldiers sent to Yemen from Egypt between 1539 and 1547, only 7,000 survived. The Ottoman accountant-general in Egypt remarked: We have seen no foundry like Yemen for our soldiers. Each time we have sent an expeditionary force there, it has melted away like salt dissolved in water. The Ottomans sent yet another expeditionary force to Zabid in 1547, while Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
18104-476: The southwestern coastline of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern coastline between Aden and Hadhramaut . Historical Yemen included much greater territory than the current nation, stretching from northern 'Asir in southwestern Saudi Arabia to Dhofar in southern Oman . One etymology derives Yemen from ymnt , meaning literally " South [of the Arabian Peninsula ]", and significantly plays on
18250-526: The struggle against the Ayyubid until his death in 1217. After his demise, the Zaidi community was split between two rival imams. The Zaydis were dispersed, and a truce was signed with the Ayyubid in 1219. The Ayyubid army was defeated in Dhamar in 1226. Ayyubid Sultan Mas'ud Yusuf left for Mecca in 1228, never to return. Other sources suggest that he was forced to leave for Egypt instead in 1223. The Rasulid dynasty
18396-517: The teachings of the Zaid sect stipulate that as long as they are holy descendants (that is, descendants of Muhammad, the founder of Islam of the Hashemite family), they can be selected as Imams. Imams are not necessarily hereditary. Nonetheless, the vast majority of Yemen's imams are descendants of the Rathi dynasty (the collateral Qasim dynasty since 1597). The Yemeni Imam Dynasty ruled from time to time, and it
18542-464: The tropical desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh), hot, dry and water-deficient, mainly animal husbandry. From a geological point of view, the northern area of the central Yemen mountains where Saada is located is a horst formed by crystalline rocks. Sa'dah has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification : BWh ). Saada lends its name to the Yemen rock gecko ( Pristurus saada ) ,
18688-460: The two sides began in June 2009, when nine foreigners were abducted during a picnic in the Saada Governorate. Three bodies were found which belonged to a South Korean teacher and two German nurses. In addition, two German children were freed in May 2010 by Saudi and Yemeni forces. The remaining party members are still missing, and their current status is unknown. It remains unclear who was behind
18834-407: The withdrawal was a gesture for peace. Saudi General Said Al-Ghamdi confirmed that the Houthis had ceased fire as a result of the determined Saudi assault. Prince Khalid bin Sultan announced that the Houthis were defeated though did not declare an end to the Saudi bombing campaign, aimed at preventing any future incursions into the Kingdom. On 30 January 2010, Houthi rebels appeared to have accepted
18980-498: Was a religious cleric and judge who was invited to come to Saada from Medina to arbitrate tribal disputes. Yahya persuaded local tribesmen to follow his teachings. The sect slowly spread across the highlands, as the tribes of Hashid and Bakil , later known as "the twin wings of the imamate", accepted his authority. He founded the Zaidi imamate in 897. Yahya established his influence in Saada and Najran. He also tried to capture Sana'a from
19126-408: Was also one of the main settlements of Yemeni Jews . Between the 17th and 20th centuries, Jews gathered in large numbers in Yemen, including Saada. At the beginning of the 19th century, there were about 1,000 Jews in the city of Saddah. The Jews, as merchants and craftsmen, especially silversmiths, influenced the fate of Saada economically, contributing to the sustainable construction and development of
19272-501: Was beheaded and his head sent to al-Mutahhar in Sana'a. By 1568, only Zabid remained under the possession of the Turks. In 1632, Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad sent an expeditionary force of 1,000 men to conquer Mecca. The army entered the city in triumph and killed its governor. The Ottomans sent an army from Egypt to fight the Yemenites. Seeing that the Turkish army was too numerous to overcome,
19418-652: Was conquered by foreign invaders such as the Fatimid Dynasty, the Ayyubid Dynasty, the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire, and it has also experienced Rasul The rule of Yemen native dynasties such as Dynasty and Tahir Dynasty, the succession of Laxi Dynasty was not continuous. Although Sa'da's status as the capital of the Imam's regime is often replaced by other cities (such as Sana, Sahara, Surah, Taiz, etc.),
19564-411: Was established in 1229 by Umar ibn Rasul, who was appointed deputy governor by the Ayyubids in 1223. When the last Ayyubid ruler left Yemen in 1229, Umar stayed in the country as caretaker. He subsequently declared himself an independent king by assuming the title "al-Malik Al-Mansur" (the king assisted by Allah ). Umar first established himself at Zabid, then moved into the mountainous interior, taking
19710-521: Was finally allowed into Saada City and surrounding refugee camps in April 2010. The exact breakdown of the casualties is unknown as neither side has released any casualty figures. However, official news reports on 6 February 2010 claimed that the Yemeni government suffered at least 126 casualties, including 19 tribal fighters, two generals, Sa'dah's regional security chief and three security guards. The Yemeni government claimed to have killed 600 Houthi fighters in
19856-480: Was further cut off. Mobile landlines were suspended after the Houthis shelled a communications tower in the neighboring Amran province. The rebels held out in Sa'dah neighborhoods and old mountain fortresses around the city. In September, the first of many ceasefires was agreed. The Yemeni army pushed to secure the road that links Sa'dah to Harf Sufyan, launching salvos of shells to "demine" and "remove bombs" for humanitarian convoys. On 17 September, an airstrike claimed
20002-527: Was hit by airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition of Arab forces that intervened in Yemen's civil war. The air strikes hit the Imam Hadi Mosque in Saada, which was severely damaged. The mosque is the oldest Shiite mosque in the Arabian Peninsula and the third oldest in Yemen. In October 2015, coalition-led airstrikes destroyed the Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Saada. In January 2022,
20148-619: Was in Ras Hills in Medina, his grandfather Qasem Rassi was named "Rasi" (Arabic means those who live in Ras Hills). Because of his nickname, the dynasty he created was called the "Lasi Dynasty". It was the longest reigning dynasty in Yemen's history (893–1962), more than a thousand years, and Sada was the birthplace of the Lassi Dynasty. Since the founding of the city in the Middle Ages, Saada has been
20294-446: Was killed in a battle between Sa'ada province and Yemen government forces. Afterwards, followers of Hassan Houthi changed the name of the "Youth of Beliefs" organization to "Houthi Movement" (the official name was changed to "Ansar Allah Movement", which means the devotees of Allah) to commemorate him forever. In 2009 and 2010, conflict between the Houthi movement and the Saleh government continued, including Operation Scorched Earth ,
20440-401: Was married to Asma bint Shihab , who governed Yemen with her husband. The Khutba during Friday prayers was proclaimed in both her husband's name and hers. No other Arab woman had this honor since the advent of Islam. Ali al-Sulayhi was killed by Najah's sons on his way to Mecca in 1084. His son Ahmed Al-Mukarram led an army to Zabid and killed 8,000 of its inhabitants. He later installed
20586-413: Was reported that six Yemeni locations suffered rocket attacks, one of which received 100 rockets in one hour. Residents of the coastal city of Jizan reported hearing fighter jets and seeing armored convoys move towards the border. The city's King Fahd Hospital was also placed on alert for treating military casualties. A Saudi government adviser later said no decision had yet been taken to send troops across
20732-572: Was ruling the highlands independently. Yahya chose his son Ali to succeed him, a decision that infuriated his other son al-Mutahhar ibn Yahya. Al-Mutahhar was lame, so he was not qualified for the imamate. He urged Oais Pasha, the Ottoman colonial governor in Zabid , to attack his father. Indeed, Ottoman troops supported by tribal forces loyal to Imam al-Mutahhar stormed Taiz and marched north toward Sana'a in August 1547. The Turks officially made Imam al-Mutahhar
20878-515: Was short-lived. The Ottoman Empire conquered Egypt, hanging the last Mamluk Sultan in Cairo . The Ottomans had not decided to conquer Yemen until 1538. The Zaydi highland tribes emerged as national heroes by offering stiff, vigorous resistance to the Turkish occupation. The Mamluks tried to attach Yemen to Egypt and the Portuguese led by Afonso de Albuquerque , occupied the island of Socotra and made an unsuccessful attack on Aden in 1513. Starting in
21024-567: Was stable during the Rashidun Caliphate . Yemeni tribes played a pivotal role in the Islamic expansion into Egypt, Iraq, Persia, the Levant , Anatolia , North Africa , Sicily , and Andalusia . Yemeni tribes who settled in Syria contributed significantly to the solidification of Umayyad rule, especially during the reign of Marwan I . Powerful Yemenite tribes such as Kinda were on his side during
21170-526: Was the code-name of a Yemeni military offensive in the Saada Governorate that began in August 2009. It marked the fifth wave of violence during the ongoing insurgency by the Houthis against the government. In November 2009, the conflict spread across the border into neighboring Saudi Arabia . This conflict led to the Saudi military's incursion into Yemen, marking the first military operation conducted by Saudi Arabia since 1991. Skirmishes and clashes between
21316-648: Was to develop close links with the powers of the coast of the Red Sea . They were successful in converting Aksum and influencing their culture. The results concerning to Yemen were rather disappointing. A Kendite prince called Yazid bin Kabshat rebelled against Abraha and his Arab Christian allies. A truce was reached once the Great Dam of Marib had suffered a breach. Abraha died around 570. The Sasanid Empire annexed Aden around 570. Under their rule, most of Yemen enjoyed great autonomy except for Aden and Sana'a. This era marked
#234765