CONCEPT – THE WAR IN YEMEN

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CONCEPT – THE WAR IN YEMEN

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• The Yemen War: Yemen is in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe, yet after three years of intense fighting, it has been dubbed "the forgotten war.“
• Historical background: Until the early 1960s, the country was ruled by a monarchy in the north and the British in the south. Coups in both regions plunged the country into violence, ending with a positive reunification in 1990.
• Poor nation: Yemen, a Middle Eastern nation has long been one of the region's poorest. In 2015, it was ranked 168 out of 188 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI), which measures life expectancy, education and standard of living. Prior to the war, Yemen's population of more than 2 cr. was projected to double by 2035.
• 2011 Arab Spring: Amid high unemployment and dissatisfaction with the ruling Saleh family, the country was ready for change when the Arab Spring swept across MENA region in 2011.
• When did the war begin? Yemen's war simmered over several years, beginning with the Arab Spring in 2011. Pro-democracy protesters took to the streets in a bid to force President Ali Abed Allah Saleh to end his 33-year rule. He responded with economic concessions, but refused to resign.
• Tensions grew: By March, tensions on the streets of the capital city, Sanaa, saw protesters dying at the hands of the military. Deadly clashes between government troops and tribal militias erupted.
• Internationally-brokered deal: Yemen finally saw a transfer of power in to Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, paving the way for elections in - in which he was the only candidate. Hadi's attempts at constitutional and budget reforms sparked outcry by Houthi rebels from the north.
• Capital taken over by Houthi rebels: By September 2014, Houthi insurgents had taken the capital city, forcing Hadi to relocate his government to the southern port city of Aden.
• Who is fighting whom? Multiple factions are entangled in Yemen's war.. The conflict divides into two main categories: pro-government forces led by President Hadi and anti-government forces led by the Houthis, who are backed by former President Saleh.
• The Houthis: They hail from Yemen's north and belong to a small branch of Shiite Muslims - Zaydis. Until summer 2015, the insurgents had infiltrated much of the country's south. They maintain control over key central provinces in the north. Hadi's government has accused Iran of smuggling them military arms, an accusation which Tehran has denied.
• Government in Aden: President Hadi's government is headquartered in Aden and is the recognized internationally. In 2015, Saudi Arabia launched an international coalition in a bid to reinstate Hadi.
• Saudi Arabia-led coalition: Along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE too has conducted airstrikes on Yemeni soil. Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Morocco, Sudan, Jordan and Egypt have also contributed.
• US and UK: Both have provided logistical support and intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition.
• Humanitarian crisis: In Yemen's "forgotten war," the civilian population has lost the most. Coalition airstrikes and a naval blockade imposed by coalition forces in 2015 have pushed Yemen - where over 80 percent of food is imported - to the brink of famine.  Yemen was hit by a cholera outbreak deemed the worst in the world by the UN. It estimates that roughly 600,000 people have contracted the disease since last year and more than 2,000 people have died from it.

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