SANAA: Yemen’s powerful Shia militia fired in the air and made arrests on Wednesday for the third time this week to prevent a rally in Sanaa against their tightening grip on the capital, witnesses said.

They said the militiamen also used batons against the demonstrators, a number of whom were injured.

“No to confessionalism,” the protesters chanted before being forced to abandon a planned march through the centre of Sanaa.

It was the third such incident since Sunday, following President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi’s announcement three days earlier that he was handing in his resignation.

Opponents of the Huthis have been urging demonstrations against their occupation of the capital, which has plunged Yemen into crisis.

The militia, who descended from their base in Yemen’s north to overrun Sanaa in September, last week seized control of the presidential palace and key government buildings.

On Tuesday, however, they freed a top aide to Hadi.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2015

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