Houthi militias clamp down on Yemenis.. details

The Yemeni capital, Sana’a, which is under the control of the Houthi terrorist militia, is seeing an unprecedented rise in food prices as the Iranian-backed group continues to impose taxes on traders and citizens.

According to local residents, prices for various food items increased by 30% compared to 2012. The price increase included foods such as flour, sugar, rice, oil, cheese and other consumer items.

The price increases were attributed by traders to the doubling of customs duties and illegal levies on them by the authority of terrorist militias, in addition to transportation costs; this prompted them to raise the prices of goods to compensate for their loss.

Residents accuse the Houthi authorities of sharing with traders in raising prices, maintaining their opportunistic interests, exploiting citizens and insisting on doubling their suffering and looting their money, without taking into account their difficult living conditions since the war began nearly eight years ago.

The Yemeni market is dominated by a number of monopolized traders in various food and consumer goods, the most important of which are flour, wheat and sugar. 70% of the market size is controlled by a number of importers, most notably Houthi businessman Yahya al-Habbari, who controls its prices and quantities in local markets.

Citizens in Sana’a and Houthi-controlled areas suffer from harsh living conditions; for the eighth consecutive year of salary confiscation by Houthi militias, lack of income, and widespread unemployment resulting from the war that the coup militias have been waging since 2014.