Aden (South24) 

A Saudi newspaper claimed that there is a Houthi plot to target the governorates of South Yemen, by "carrying out terrorist operations in coordination with ISIS and Al-Qaeda."

On Monday, Okaz newspaper said, citing a "reliable source" that the Houthis had established "headquarters, operations rooms, and an intelligence office in Sanaa to manage terrorist crimes and chaos in the liberated provinces."

The source confirmed to "Okaz" that the operations room is headed by the brother-in-law of the Houthis' leader, Deputy Minister of Local Administration Qassem Hamran, while the supervision and implementation is carried out by Southern figures working for the Houthis and appointed by the Houthis as "governors of the Southern governorates."

The newspaper said that the Houthis allocated a monthly sum of "10 million Yemeni riyals to buy loyalties and intelligence effort, deliver sabotage acts, carry out more terrorist operations, and work to dismantle the legitimate government and the Southern parties and fuel conflicts."

"South24" were not able to verify the authenticity of this information, but it can be noted that the government authorities in Abyan governorate arrested Houthi cells led by the Houthi-appointed governor of Abyan in the Al-Wadaya district last month.

The security forces in Aden, months ago, also arrested figures believed to be linked to the Houthi group, according to sources who spoke to "South24".

On September 21, the Houthis invaded Beihan districts in Shabwa governorate, South Yemen, and took control of three districts, after the pro-Islah government forces withdrew. 

South24 Center for News and Studies

Photo: A security personnel and people react during a Houthi attack on Aden airport moments after a plane landed carrying a newly formed cabinet for government-held parts of Yemen, in Aden, South Yemen December 30, 2020. (Reuters)