Could the Houthis be next? Yemenis reflect on the fall of Syria’s al-Assad
Al Jazeera
Bashar al-Assad’s fall was a blow to Iran and its regional supporters, but anti-Houthi Yemenis see a rare opportunity.
Sanaa, Yemen – Mansour Saleh, a 25-year-old history graduate in Sanaa, has been glued to the political and military developments in Syria.
“Stunning”, “mysterious” and “unexpected”, are among some of the words he used to describe what happened in the country this month.
The fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad earlier in December has set millions of Yemenis thinking about what lies in store for their own country.
Some say the fall of the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen – who control Sanaa and much of northern and western Yemen – may be the “next surprise” in the region.
“My friends have different views. Some called me, happy about the eclipse of the Syrian regime, and others were sad over such a scenario. We’re a highly divided society,” said Saleh.
