What the designation of ‘terrorist’ means for Yemen’s Houthis
Al Jazeera
Experts say that Biden’s re-designation of the Houthis as a terrorist group is unlikely to curb Red Sea attacks.
In February 2021, less than a month into his presidential term, US President Joe Biden formally delisted Yemen’s Houthis both as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” (FTO) and as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (SDGTs) to enable more humanitarian aid for Yemen.
On Wednesday, the Biden administration re-designated the Houthis as SDGTs amidst the group’s clashes with the US in the Red Sea. Here is more about what the re-designation means:
Organisations with the SDGTs designation are those which are considered to “threaten the security of the US”.
SDGTs is a designation that concerns the finances of an individual or a group. In the Houthis’ case, the tag means it is illegal for American citizens to provide any financial or material support to the Yemeni group. Additionally, it will freeze any assets the Houthis may have in the US.
Since the designation places curbs on funds the Houthis receive from American citizens, experts say it is unlikely to have much impact.
