Yemeni president’s home ’under attack’ by Houthis, minister says

SANA’A — Houthi rebels have launched an attack on the house of President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi Tuesday, Yemeni Information Minister Nadia Sakaff tweeted.

“The president of Yemen is coming under attack from armed militias who wish to overthrow the government,” Sakaff added.

Sakaff said that fighters of the Shiite rebel movement, which seized control of most of the capital in September, started firing on Hadi’s residence at about 4 pm (1300 GMT).

Yemeni news site al-Masdar Online reported firefights between the rebels and guards at Hadi’s residence.

Al-Masdar also reported that Houthi fighters had taken control of the presidential palace 4 kilometres away, the scene of fierce clashes the day before.

Hadi earlier warned that his country faced a choice “to be or not to be,” state news agency Saba reported, as the Houthis maintained a siege on the prime minister’s residence for a second day running.

“It may be possible to resolve and discuss this today, but it may not be possible tomorrow or the day after,” the president warned his advisors and top security officials.

Hadi called for an urgent meeting of the country’s political forces, including the Houthi Shiite rebel movement, which took effective control of Sana’a in September.

The reasons for Monday’s flare-up are not clear, with the Houthis and security officials trading blame for what started the clashes.

But it came as the rebels stepped up their opposition to a draft constitution dividing the country into six federal regions, which would split up the areas of northern Yemen where they are most influential.

A senior government official - speaking on condition of anonymity - confirmed that Prime Minister Khaled Bahah’s residence remained under siege by the rebels. Bahah’s whereabouts were unclear.

On Monday, Houthi representatives and the interior and defence ministers agreed to a ceasefire, which the Houthis said would also involve addressing their concerns about the draft constitution.

But Information Minister Nadia Sakaff said the sides had failed to agree on the release of Hadi’s chief of staff, Ahmed bin Mubarak, who was taken captive by the Houthis on Saturday.