Maarib tribes mobilize more than 30,000 to confront Houthi threat

Tribes of the Marib governorate have said they are prepared to fight and confront Houthi rebels and militias of the deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh – as they deployed tanks in various Taiz neighborhoods. And they added that they had already mobilized 35,000 thousand men.

Sources said tribesmen had surrounded the governorate from all sides to prevent any threat by the militia who are trying to seize control of the oil-rich governorate.

The security committee in Marib, headed by Governor Sultan al-Aaradha, said it was fully committed to standing by the constitutional legitimacy represented by President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi.

The border areas of Marib and Shabwa have witnessed violent clashes between tribes and Houthi militia as the latter attempted to march towards Marib where tribal groups had formed a security shield about six months ago to protect it from the threat of Houthis and Saleh’s militia.