Aden’s women take up arms to defend city against Houthis

Women in Yemen’s Aden have reportedly joined local armed groups in taking up arms to defend the southern city against Houthi militias, posts on social media showed this week.

نساء عدن يشاركين في مقاومة الأحتلال. وتوزيع الطعام.. #الجنوب_العربي_ينتفض #الجنوب_يقاوم #عاصفة_الحزم pic.twitter.com/lx7qHiYTIl

— ★#الجنوب_العربي ★ (@salm19801980) April 11, 2015

Yemen’s Southern Resistance armed groups have been key in the battle against the Houthi militas, who took control over the country’s capital Sanaa earlier this year and placed President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi under house arrest until he managed to flee to Aden.

حرائر الجنوب في عدن لم يقفن مكتوفات الايدي بل حملن اسلحتهن يدافعن عن عدن #عدن_تنتصر الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر pic.twitter.com/PE2bWVrt1t

— بنت عدن واخت الرجال (@amert33alrab) April 7, 2015

Photos show women carrying AK-47s and on occasion wearing the Yemeni southern flag as they inspect cars and serve food, Vocativ news website reported.

ًWomen of #Aden carry weapons to defend their city against the #Houthis pic.twitter.com/HDtXvVkKR6

— Amal Al-Yarisi (@AmalAlYarisi) April 9, 2015

“They help raising the morale and they help with medical treatment,” Aden-based activist, Majed Azan, told Vocativ.

So far, the women have only been manning security check points in Aden, Azan said, adding that they have been playing a critical role in the city’s hospitals where they have been treating the sick and delivering medical equipment from one hospital to another.