AL-MUKALLA, Yemen: Dozens of Houthis and government troops were killed on Thursday in fierce clashes in Marib with local officials and NGOs warning that the fighting will have a major impact on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Heavy fighting broke out on Thursday in Marib’s Kasara, Serwah, Murad, Jada’an, and Al-Makhdra areas as government forces and allied tribesmen, backed by Arab coalition warplanes, fought off relentless Houthi attacks.
A local military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Arab News that 27 Houthis died along with four government troops, including a field military commander, Brig. Ahmed Al-Shara’abi. They were killed as the coalition warplanes targeted Houthi fighters and reinforcements heading to the battlefields in Marib.
Amateur videos posted on social media by government supporters showed dozens of dead Houthi fighters abandoned in the desert and mountainous areas in Marib and neighboring Jawf. Official figures say more than 700 Houthis have been killed in a week of fierce fighting in the region.
The current uptick in fighting began earlier this month when the Iran-backed Houthis resumed a major offensive to seize control of the oil and gas-rich city of Marib, the Yemen government’s last major stronghold in the northern half of the country.
Despite aggressive ground attacks and heavy missile and drone strikes on the city, the rebels have failed to advance toward the city after suffering heavy casualties.
On Thursday, Gen. Abdu Abdullah Majili, Yemen’s army spokesman, told Arab News that the army troops and allied tribesmen have prevented the Houthis from making any gains.
The Yemeni army officer hailed the role of the Arab coalition warplanes, which paved the way for the army troops and tribesmen as they pushed the Houthis back on Marib battlefields.
At the same time, Yemeni government officials and rights groups have repeated concerns about the impact the Houthi offensive has had on thousands of displaced people living in Marib.
Yemen’s Minister of Information Muammar Al-Aryani on Thursday accused the Houthis of targeting displacement camps in Marib and using the people as human shields. He warned the rebels’ offensive would displace more than 2 million people sheltered in the city after fleeing the fighting and Houthi suppression in their home provinces.
“We call for an international investigation into the crimes of Houthi militia against displacement camps in Marib province,” the Yemeni minister said in a Twitter post. “This is a clear violation of the rules of international humanitarian law relating to the protection of civilians (during conflicts).”
The Houthi offensive has obstructed the distribution of vital humanitarian assistance to the displaced people and undermined calls for peace, the Yemeni minister said.
The Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, along with 30 other local and international human rights and civil society organizations, on Wednesday wrote a joint letter to the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell, urging the EU to intervene. The groups warned of a major humanitarian disaster if the Houthis invaded the city.
Abdul Rahman Barman, the president of the American Center for Justice, one of the signatories, told Arab News the rebels would persecute the 2 million displaced people who live in Marib, which would prompt them to seek refuge in other safer areas in Yemen.
“We participated in this letter as Marib hosts the biggest concentration of the displaced people in Yemen,” Barman said. “We demand the international community to use its power to pressure the Houthis and to stop their assault on Marib.”
Yemeni minister accuses Houthis of using displaced people as human shields in Marib
https://arab.news/wwcjq
Yemeni minister accuses Houthis of using displaced people as human shields in Marib
- Al-Aryani accused the Iran-backed Houthis of targeting displacement camps in Marib
- The Houthi militia resumed a major offensive to seize control of the oil and gas-rich city of Marib earlier this month
A look at Ramadan and how Muslims observe the holy month
- Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons
- Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr
CAIRO: Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time for increased worship, religious reflection and charity. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast.
Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr.
First day of Ramadan expected around Feb. 18-19
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.
The start of the month traditionally depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the first day of Ramadan is expected to be on or around Feb. 18 or 19. The actual start date may vary among countries and Muslim communities due to declarations by multiple Islamic authorities around the globe on whether the crescent had been sighted or different methodologies used to determine the beginning of the month.
This year, the start of Ramadan is expected around the same time as Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the most penitential season of the church calendar for Catholics and many other Christians.
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving and pilgrimage.
Muslims see various meanings and lessons in observing the fast.
It’s regarded as an act of worship to attain piety and one of submission to God. The devout see benefits, including practicing self-restraint, cultivating gratitude and empathizing with people who are poor and hungry.
The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink — not even a sip of water is allowed — from dawn to sunset, before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic.
Muslims typically stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book.
Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide iftar for those in need, distributing Ramadan boxes filled with pantry staples, handing out warm meals alongside such things as dates and juice or helping hold free communal meals.
Muslims eat a predawn meal, called “suhoor,” to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.
Exemptions from fasting
There are certain exemptions, such as for those who are unable to because of illness or travel. Those unable to fast due to being temporarily ill or traveling need to make up for the missed days of fasting later.
Cultural and social traditions associated with Ramadan
Muslims are ethnically and racially diverse and not all Ramadan traditions are rooted in religion. Some customs may transcend borders, while others can differ across cultures.
Many social rituals center on gathering and socializing after the daily fast. Some Muslims decorate their homes, put out Ramadan-themed tableware and centerpieces or throng to markets and Ramadan bazaars.
In Egypt, Ramadan is typically a festive time. Colorful lanterns, in different shapes and sizes, dangle from children’s hands and adorn homes. Ramadan songs may be played to welcome the month.
Ramadan’s soundscape in Egypt has traditionally included the predawn banging on drums by a “mesaharati” who roams neighborhoods, calling out to the faithful, sometimes by name, to wake them up for the suhoor meal.
New TV shows and communal meals
A lineup of new television series is another social fixture of the month in some countries, and advertisers compete for viewers’ attention.
In various regions, some Muslims worry that the month is getting commercialized, and say an emphasis on decorations, TV shows, outings or lavish iftar banquets can detract from Ramadan’s religious essence. Others say that a balance can be struck and that, in moderation, such rituals are part of the month’s festive spirit.
In Indonesia, Ramadan rituals vary across regions, reflecting the diversity of cultures. In deeply conservative Aceh province, animals are slaughtered during Meugang festivities, the meat cooked and shared with family, friends, poor people and orphans.
Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.
Across the island of Sumatra, after evening prayers, many boys and girls parade through the streets, carrying torches and playing Islamic songs.
In the United States, where Muslims make up a racially and ethnically diverse minority, gathering at mosques and Islamic centers when possible for iftar meals and prayers provides many Muslim families with a sense of community. Some Muslims also organize or attend interfaith iftar meals.
