Panic Grips the Muslim Brotherhood in Taiz: Latest Developments in the Murder of Iftihan al-Mashhari
In a serious escalation reflecting the state of panic within Yemen’s Islah Party (the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood) in Taiz, senior party members launched an armed assault on the peaceful protesters’ tent demanding justice for the slain activist Iftihan al-Mashhari. According to informed sources, the party arranged for the escape of Walid al-Assali, commander of the security campaign, abroad after he was summoned by the Criminal Prosecution Office for questioning over al-Mashhari’s assassination and the subsequent killing of her alleged murderer.
The smuggling of al-Assali appears to be a deliberate step to obscure the traces of the crime, especially following the release of a forensic report that completely refuted the Brotherhood’s version of events.
The report confirmed that the killer, Mohammed Sadiq, was shot from a distance of 19 centimeters, proving he was executed to prevent him from confessing and exposing the Brotherhood leaders who had incited him — foremost among them Hamoud Saeed al-Mikhlafi, a senior figure accused of blackmailing the victim.
As part of an ongoing campaign to silence dissent, armed men affiliated with the Islah Party attacked al-Mashhari’s protest tent in front of the governorate building, tearing down her pictures in a desperate attempt to erase her case from public consciousness.
These erratic actions — from smuggling al-Assali to attacking the protesters — reveal the extent of the party leaders’ involvement in both the assassination and its cover-up. Their propaganda efforts have failed to conceal the truth, as the people of Taiz increasingly recognize the violent and corrupt reality behind the party’s rhetoric.
The roots of the crime go back to al-Mashhari’s refusal to pay financial extortion demanded by Islah leaders under the guise of “supporting the resistance.” Her defiance sealed her fate. When the perpetrator was arrested, the party allegedly ordered his immediate execution to prevent the entire network from being exposed.
