“Looting of Property”: A Houthi Official Sets Himself on Fire in Protest

The Houthis’ looting of property is not limited to Yemeni citizens unable to defend their rights. It now extends to members and leaders of the militia itself.

A shocking incident, in which a former Houthi official set himself on fire, illustrates the extent of abuses committed by this terrorist militia, particularly in seizing lands and properties from citizens.

In the heart of Al-Sabine Square in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, and amidst crowds mobilized by the militia, a Houthi supervisor set himself on fire to protest the confiscation of his property by a relative of the militia leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

Despite his services to the Houthis’ agenda in their war against Yemenis, this supervisor could not escape the militia’s looting practices, similar to thousands of citizens whose lands and properties have been seized over the years.

The Houthi Supervisor

The supervisor, Abdelghani Daif Sarih Al-Razahi, set himself on fire in Al-Sabine Square on Friday after dousing himself with gasoline. He stated that his act was a protest against the confiscation of his property by Abdelmajid Al-Houthi, who claims to be the head of the Waqf Authority in Sanaa.

Abdelmajid Al-Houthi, a close relative of the militia leader, has led a policy of looting, theft, and violence since the Houthis took control of Sanaa, appointing the leader’s close allies to top positions.

In a video circulated on social media, Al-Razahi said that all his attempts to reclaim his property from Abdelmajid Al-Houthi had failed, leading him to set himself on fire in front of militia crowds.

He sustained serious injuries before being rescued by those at the scene.

Property Looting

In 2021, the militia established a government body called the Waqf Authority to seize state properties, including real estate and financial assets. They appointed Abdelmajid Abdelrahman Al-Houthi, a cousin of the militia leader, to head the authority, granting him unchecked power.

The Houthi militia has not only imposed taxes and extorted merchants in areas under its control to finance its war but has also legitimized the seizure of assets through illegitimate laws.

Estimates suggest that more than 30% of Sanaa’s land belongs to waqfs, fueling the Houthis’ appetite for what observers call “the largest organized looting operation in Yemen’s history.”

Abdelmajid Al-Houthi claims that Yemen ranks first among Islamic countries in terms of waqf properties, asserting that one-third of the land in every province, city, or village belongs to these religious endowments controlled by the militia.