YEMENI HOUTHI - INSURGENT OR TERRORIST MOVEMENT?
YEMENI HOUTHI - INSURGENT OR TERRORIST MOVEMENT?

Author(s): Mirela Atanasiu
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Security and defense, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: Yemen security; non-state actors; threat; power; terrorism; change.
Summary/Abstract: In the Middle East, a series of armed non-state actors are playing increasingly changing role in the political and security dynamics of the states. Since 1990, Houthi rebels are acting as religious-based political-military movement supported by Iran, presently controlling part of northern Yemen and fighting against the governmental forces by using insurgency tactics. In the late years, there are some discussions at the international security community level related to the shifts in promoted ideology and used tactics of Houthi rebels as insurgent movement. The most recent comes from the US administration considering designating Houthis among the terrorist groups based on the shifts in Houthis ideology and actions. Thus, the paper is intended to be a theoretical case study limited at asking some questions: What background could have led to the discussions concerning the shift of Houthi group from an insurgent to a terrorist movement? What drove US administration to think of including Houthi movement in the terrorist groups’ category? How can be categorized the Houthi group from the International humanitarian law perspective, given the actual status quo of Yemen? Which could be the potential changes in the security situation of Yemen if Houthi movement will be categorized as terrorist?

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