Inside Houthis’ Sa’dah Stronghold

Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Middle East, Political Stability, Remote Violence, Violence Against Civilians

Historically the home to a powerful Zaydi dynasty and more recently the birthplace of the Houthi insurgency, Yemen’s northwestern governorate of Sa’dah has long managed to defy government control and has borne the brunt of the Saudi-led coalition’s aerial campaign throughout much of Yemen’s most recent civil war. The current conflict in Sa’dah pits armed…

Pro-Government Militia Autonomy on the Battlefield in Syria

Analysis, Ethnic Militias, Focus On Militias, Middle East, Political Stability, Pro-Government Militias, Unidentified Armed Groups

The presence of pro-government militias during civil wars has been a prominent feature in armed conflicts across the globe, and Syria is no exception (Kishi and Raleigh, 2018). The Syrian government first mobilised loyalist gangs, known as “Shabiha,” to act against civilian opposition when peaceful demonstrations began in Syria in 2011 (Marsh and Siddique, 2011).…