Marib – Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen honored Al-Qaeda’s Arhab cell leader Sheikh Arif Majali with the “tribe” shield, for his proactive role in mobilizing the terrorists to join the Houthi ranks.
Hussain Ghawi, host of the famous Jamra show, tweeted about the honoring ceremony.
Ghawi said, “The Houthi militia honors a leader in al-Qaeda and gives him the ‘tribe’ shield, in appreciation of his role in mobilizing fighters from the organization and bringing them into the ranks of the Houthi militia”.
He added, “Arif Majali is the leader of the Arhab cell in Al-Qaeda”.
ISIS, Qaeda and Houthi relations
On March 30, the Yemeni mission to the United Nations delivered a government report prepared by the Yemeni intelligence services, to the President of the UN Security Council, US Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield. The report confirms the relationship and cooperation between the Iran-backed Houthi militia, ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Yemeni government said, “this report, which is based on confirmed intelligence information and facts, sheds light on the close relationship between the Houthi militia and both al-Qaeda and ISIS, which is an extension of the relationship between Iran and terrorist organizations”.
Government also said that, “Houthis and the terrorist organizations have been cooperating in various fields, including security and intelligence, providing a safe haven for many members of the terrorist organizations, coordinating combat operations against the legitimate forces, permitting the terrorist organizations to build and fortify their strongholds, while avoiding confrontations with them”.
Apart from that, the Iran-backed militants also released 252 Qaeda and ISIS terrorists from the prisons of Sanaa and other areas.
The report states, “Despite the Houthi militia’s claim to fight terrorist elements (Al-Qaeda and ISIS), and through the sources and follow-up of the Political Security and National Security agencies, it was found that many leaders and terrorist elements are present in the areas controlled by the Houthi militia.”
Among these prominent leaders is, Sheikh Arif Majali of Al-Qaeda’s Arhab cell, who became a senior leader in the Houthi hierarchy. He actively participated in the mobilization process of Qaeda and ISIS terrorists into the Houthi controlled areas.
The report states that, no sooner the militias took control of the areas, they began “to complete the killing, looting, pillage, and bombing of homes, violating human rights, children’s rights and women’s rights, and causing a large wave of displacement of residents and people from those areas”.
The report, which consists of 26 pages, supported by tables and pictures, called on the international community to classify the Houthi militia as terrorists.
