FRIDAY’S carnage in Sana’a, in which suicide bombers struck a number of mosques in the Yemeni capital, marks a dangerous new low for the impoverished, strife-torn state. Over 140 fatalities have been reported; the mosques targeted were frequented by supporters of the Houthi movement, while the self-styled Islamic State has claimed credit for the atrocities. While Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has a strong presence in Yemen, this is possibly the first time the so-called caliphate has claimed an attack in the country. The bombings are significant for two reasons: firstly, they threaten to plunge Yemen into a communal quagmire. The Houthis are Zaidi Shias, and the online statement claiming the attacks was full of virulently sectarian invective. Given Yemen’s delicate confessional balance — Zaidis and Sunnis are found in roughly equal numbers in the country — such acts of terrorism can widen sectarian divisions. Secondly, if IS were to gain a perch in Yemen and create a fledgling statelet, it could create a new security nightmare for the Gulf monarchies.

While the IS presence in Yemen should not be overblown, especially considering the lack of major evidence linking local militants to the larger concern in Syria and Iraq, the ferocity of the attacks means the possibility of such linkages should not be taken lightly. IS is an expansionist concern, and when it cannot establish direct control it will look for affiliates. And as the recent terrorist attack in Tunisia, as well as the pledges of allegiance given to the ‘caliphate’ by militants in Nigeria, Egypt and elsewhere, show, there is no shortage of takers of the IS brand. Yemen’s internal situation is precarious: the Houthis swept into Sana’a in September and in January forced the president to flee after surrounding the presidential palace. The Houthi-government stand-off may well be giving AQAP and IS the space to expand. That is why the Houthis must work with the elected government and resolve all differences at the negotiating table in order to confront a common threat.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2015

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