Islah

Analysis December 15, 2025 29:27 MIN Yemen’s History of Political Alliances and Lessons for the Future By Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, and Tawfeek Al-Ganad Alliances are a common phenomenon in Yemen, deeply rooted in the country’s political life and social structures. Yemeni tribes, for example, often form alliances for protection and defense that are based more on mutual interests than on blood ties. This pattern extends into the political sphere, where Yemen has witnessed various types of political alliances during its modern history. This study examines past alliances among political actors in Yemen, from the declaration of political pluralism as a constitutional right following unification in May 1990 to 2017. Most of these alliances were temporary and tactical, often formed to confront common adversaries, and ended in dramatic ruptures. Despite their shortcomings, however, these alliances enriched Yemeni political life in several ways. For example,… Continue reading Analysis December 12, 2025 11:09 MIN The STC Moves Into Eastern Yemen – Reaction from Sana’a Center Experts By Hussam Radman, Yasmeen al-Eryani, Abdulghani Al-Iryani, and Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen In early December, armed forces affiliated with the secessionist, UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized control of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, displacing tribal forces led by Amr Bin Habrish and 1st Military Region army units affiliated with the Islah party. With its eastward expansion, the STC now controls nearly all of the territory of the former South Yemen state, including its most productive oil fields. The takeover has ushered in a new phase of the Yemen conflict, with the potential for territorial lines to be redrawn and the regional balance of power now in flux. Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief Rashad al-Alimi and Prime Minister Salem bin Breik have left the interim capital for Saudi Arabia, where they have held a… Continue reading News November 5, 2025 02:25 MIN Statement: The Sana’a Center Condemns the Incitement Campaign by the Islah Party and its Aligned Military Elements The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies strongly condemns the incitement campaign directed against the Center and its Chairperson, Maged al-Madhaji—a vicious online smear campaign that culminated in a statement issued by the Tur al-Bahah Military Axis on November 4, 2025. The statement made unfounded accusations naming Al-Madhaji and Sana’a Center writers as part of what it described as an “imminent terrorist plot” allegedly meant to incite chaos in the city of Al-Turbah in Taiz governorate. Such claims directly threaten the personal safety of al-Madhaji and, more broadly, individuals working in the civil sphere. The targeting of the Center and its Chairperson came two days after the Sana’a Center published an editorial addressing the state of lawlessness in Taiz, following the… Continue reading Editorial October 28, 2025 02:57 MIN July-September 2025 A Lawless Land: Government Factions Must Impose Order or Risk Losing Legitimacy The assassination of Taiz official Iftehan al-Mashhari in broad daylight is the starkest example yet of how political violence and impunity have taken root in the territories under the control of the Yemeni government. Her killing is the latest in a series of assassinations targeting those who threaten the financial interests of powerful warlords who have entrenched their positions during the conflict. These militants flout the law, carry out extrajudicial killings, and terrorize residents, while the nominal authorities either provide them with political cover or turn a blind eye. This pattern of lawlessness has persisted for over a decade. It is a direct consequence of the government’s failure to restrain affiliated armed groups and maintain law and order, undermining its… Continue reading Yemen Review section October 28, 2025 10:04 MIN July-September 2025 Politics and Diplomacy — The Yemen Review, July-September 2025 By Casey Coombs Following women-led demonstrations in Aden and Taiz in May and June, widespread protests erupted in Hadramawt’s capital, Mukalla, on July 28, leading to the storming of a local authority building and the Munawwira electricity plant. The unrest was sparked by severe power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day. Protesters blocked streets, and shops were closed as Hadrami Elite forces fired live rounds to disperse crowds. The Mukalla People and Youth Escalation Committee, which organized the protests, accused Hadramawt Governor Mabkhout bin Madi of corruption and marginalizing locals, demanding his removal under slogans such as “No oil without Hadramawt rights.” The Hadramawt Security Committee, led by Bin Madi, denied reports of casualties during the unrest and blamed “malicious actors”… Continue reading Yemen Review section October 28, 2025 08:16 MIN July-September 2025 Soil That Hinders Growth: Youth Engagement in Political Parties in Taiz By Essa Al-Qadasy Young people make up the largest demographic group in the Arab world, and were the driving force behind the 2011 mobilization demanding systemic reform and the rebuilding of state institutions. This was particularly true in Yemen. Yet, despite their significant influence that year, decision-making remained in the hands of the elites. Young people were rapidly and systematically excluded, even from advisory roles, leaving them increasingly disillusioned about the country’s future. Ninety-eight percent reported that they were not consulted on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative — a defining accord at the time — fueling deep frustration and resentment among the very generation that sparked change, the effects of which still reverberate today. Against this backdrop, examining youths’ political participation in… Continue reading Analysis August 26, 2025 09:03 MIN Hadramawt on Edge: Public Outcry Exposes Governance Crisis By Mohammed al-Katheri The outbreak of violent protests across Hadramawt since late July has plunged the region into chaos, as political, military, and tribal groups vie for control of Yemen’s largest governorate. Persistent fuel shortages have caused severe blackouts in the capital, Mukalla, and other cities across Hadramawt, as hundreds of people have taken to the streets for weeks of protests. Chief among the protestors’ grievances has been failing public services, primarily severe electricity and water shortages. While security forces have attempted to restore order, and electricity provision has improved, continuing widespread demonstrations and the lack of a coordinated response from Hadramawt’s milieu of political actors point to a deeper and more systemic crisis. Recent developments have left many reconsidering the future of… Continue reading Main Publications August 4, 2025 08:01 MIN Yemen International Forum 2025 Report The third Yemen International Forum (YIF III) took place in Amman from February 16 - 18, 2025, gathering more than 300 participants to discuss peace prospects and stability in Yemen. Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemen has been tested in myriad ways. Attacks on the Red Sea and the rising prominence of the Houthis within the “Axis of Resistance” have thrust Yemen into regional conflict, undermining hope for an end to its decade-long war. Since the last YIF held in the Hague in June 2023, where discussions centered on cautious optimism for a potential peace settlement, Yemen has undertaken a dramatic U-turn. Peace efforts have taken a backseat while international attention has increasingly turned… Continue reading Yemen Review section July 22, 2025 14:34 MIN April-June 2025 Politics and Diplomacy — The Yemen Review, April-June 2025 By Casey Coombs On May 3, Yemen’s embattled Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak resigned after just over a year in office, following months of clashes with Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief Rashad al-Alimi, as well as other PLC and cabinet members. Finance Minister Salem bin Breik was immediately named as his replacement. Bin Mubarak said his resignation stemmed from his efforts to assert his constitutional authority to overhaul the cabinet, an endeavor which was stymied by the PLC. He clashed repeatedly with Al-Alimi over his attempt to appoint 12 new ministers and resisted pushes by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to place loyal deputies in ministries. On March 7, only three ministers attended a cabinet meeting called by Bin Mubarak at Al-Maashiq… Continue reading Analysis April 28, 2025 05:16 MIN Yemen’s Parliament: A Legislative Authority in a Retirement Home By Tawfeek Al-Ganad Yemen’s parliament has come to resemble a retirement home. Elections for the legislature were last held 22 years ago on April 27, 2003. Since then, 60 Members of Parliament (MPs), or 20 percent, have died in office. The youngest sitting MP is now 47 years old, while many others have either lost their vitality and public presence to the passage of time or have passed away. More importantly, the body itself is inactive and unable to perform its constitutional duties. The mandate of Yemen’s parliament should have officially expired in April 2009. Article 65 of the Yemeni Constitution stipulates that “the term of the House of Representatives is six solar years starting from its first session. The President shall call… Continue reading Analysis April 27, 2025 12:38 MIN The Lasting Legacy of Raufah Hassan (1958-2011) By Lara Uhlenhaut “It is my opinion that democracy cannot be invented by a country nor imposed by a government. However, it grows within a house. A man and a woman who do not practice democracy between themselves cannot form a democratic society.” —Raufah Hassan April 27 marks the anniversary of the death of Raufah Hassan, who passed away in Cairo in 2011 at the young age of 53. Deeply loved and revered by generations of Yemenis, Raufah Hassan was a pioneer in Yemeni women’s rights and a respected journalist, academic, writer, and intellectual. To countless admirers, however, she represented much more than these titles convey; she was seen as someone who “carried the cultural truth of Yemen” and who was, in essence,… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 21, 2025 04:08 MIN January-March 2025 Into the Quagmire: Navigating US Policy in Yemen By Alexandra Nikopoulou Since the inauguration of the new US administration, Washington has adopted a fiercer stance against the Houthis, the last resilient pillar of the pro-Iranian Axis of Resistance. The Houthis are the only Iranian ally that have had their power increase in the conflagration with Israel. Their attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea were viewed as a global threat to freedom of navigation, prompting a US military reaction in 2024 that has escalated after the return of Donald Trump as president. Washington perceives the Houthis as an extension of Iran and attacks against them as an easy way to push the Islamic Republic toward negotiations on its nuclear program. However, his assessment makes dangerous assumptions about the Iranian-Houthi relationship.… Continue reading