Houthis are ‘at their worst,’ commander who defected to Aden says

Brigadier General Jamil al-Maamari who defected from the Houthis and went to Aden told Al Arabiya News Channel that the Houthis are “at their worst” and many officers in Sanaa await the right moment to get rid of them.

He added that the Houthis, who imposed a strict siege on Sanaa, were also restraining officers’ and commanders’ movement as they now suspect everyone.

Maamari, who had stayed in Sanaa following Houthi promises to end the Yemeni people’s suffering and to achieve national partnership, said he defected because the Houthis did not keep their promises as the situation in Sanaa only became worse.

He added that the Houthis neglected state institutions, marginalized people and treated them unjustly and dragged young men into war.

Maamari noted that the Houthis do not trust commanders and only want them to act as their media front.

“We reached a conviction that the Houthis only want to drag commanders into battles so they get killed there,” he added.