Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Calls on EU to Designate Houthi Militias as 'Terrorist Organization'

Aden -- Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi called on the European Union on Tuesday to adopt a European Parliament resolution urging the listing of the Houthi militias, their leadership, and their political, military, and security wings on the list of terrorist organizations. The state-owned Yemeni News Agency (Saba) reported that this came during a phone call between al-Alimi and European Council President Antonio Costa to discuss developments in Yemen, Houthi militia violations against civilians, and the ongoing siege on the city of Taiz.

Al-Alimi stressed that the Yemeni government relies on the European Council’s role in rallying consensus among member states to transform the European Parliament’s position into a binding measure, and to employ legal, economic, and diplomatic pressure tools to halt Houthi militia attacks and compel them to comply with international legitimacy resolutions and the will of the Yemeni people. He pointed out that the Houthi militias’ practices—targeting civilians, airports, and vital infrastructure, recruiting children, besieging cities, attacking commercial vessels, and detaining UN and humanitarian workers—necessitate the application of European anti-terrorism standards after peaceful options have been exhausted. He added that designating the militias sends a clear message that achieving gains through terrorism is unacceptable.

For his part, Costa affirmed the European Union’s support for the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government, and its solidarity with the Yemeni people in facing current challenges and alleviating their humanitarian suffering. Costa briefed al-Alimi on the EU’s monitoring of developments in Yemen and discussed ways to respond to urgent humanitarian needs in Taiz and other areas amid the deterioration of living and service conditions due to Houthi escalation.

The European Parliament, in a resolution adopted last Thursday, called on the Council of the European Union to list the Houthis on the “EU list of terrorist organizations,” demanding the dismantling of their funding channels, the freezing of their assets and economic resources, and enhanced security and defense cooperation with Gulf states. (End) S.N.S./A.M.S.