Houthis deployed 85 child soldiers from Yemen’s Ibb
Local sources based in southern Yemeni governorate of Ibb reported that Houthi militias are collecting new lot of recruits from different districts to send them to battlefronts in the oil-rich Marib governorate.
Sources also said that at least 85 minors are among the troops that Houthis deployed on the last 14 days, noting that the Iran-backed group had assembled the child militaries from villages and pushed them to train for a week before being used in Marib battle.
Although certain of the children kidnapped and powerfully recruited on Houthi lines, many minors were exchanged between the Iran-backed group and some of Yemen’s poorest families for monthly financial and food support.
It should indicate that Houthi employment campaigns are continuing and increasing and spread to many districts around the war-ravaged country. Houthis have been seeking to revive their lines after are losing fighters and armaments on different battlefronts. Local sources also stated that Houthis are losing hundreds of combatants in the last few weeks.
Furthermore, as part of their aggressive recruiting movement, Houthis have published an order obliging all public workers in Ibb to recruit as prospect fighters to receive training and finally they be appointed to a post in the battlefield.
A circular published by Houthi leader Mohammed Abdullah al-Shabibi said that all civil servants should prepare to spend a minimum of 14 days on battlegrounds. Ibb-based sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat: This is the fifth time in under two months that Houthis have called for recruitment.
Besides, local reports talked about the departure of dozens of military vehicles with hundreds of fighters from the southern governorate.
The month-long offensive of Houthis in Marib has stopped and they have not been able to recapture the governorate’s capital. Thus, the Iran-backed militia forced to change their aim from taking Marib city to potentially using the offensive as a negotiating chip in future peace discussions.
