Barran Press
Khaled Bahah, Yemen's ambassador to Egypt and former Vice President, has declared that Marib, a strategically important governorate in northeastern Yemen, is a "bastion of the Republic" and will be a key component of the future national state.
Bahah, in an exclusive interview with Bran Press, was reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the Marib "Matareh" (defensive camps), which were established in 2014 to resist the Houthi advance. He highlighted the crucial role Marib played in thwarting the Houthi project, which aimed to seize control of northern Yemen and use Marib as a gateway to the eastern governorates.
"While the Houthis, internationally designated as a terrorist group, believed their project would be realized by taking over the northern governorates and that Marib would be their passage to the eastern governorates, Marib, with all its components, spoke its decisive word and declared its resistance to this project," Bahah stated.
The "Matareh" were established in September 2014 by Marib tribes in the areas of Nakhla and Sahil, as well as on the western and southern outskirts of the governorate, to counter the escalating Houthi attacks aimed at seizing control of the oil-rich province.
This move, a traditional tribal custom for confronting threats, came after two months of Houthi mobilization and attacks on tribes in the border areas with the governorates of Al-Jawf and Sana'a. This followed the Houthis' capture of the city of Amran in July 2014, coinciding with their advance towards the capital Sana'a, which they eventually captured on September 21, 2014.
Bahah, who served as Yemen's Vice President and Prime Minister of the National Partnership Government from 2014 to 2016, emphasized the decisive role of the local authorities in Marib in resisting the Houthi coup. He praised the unified stance of the Marib tribes, the local authorities, and political actors, which significantly impacted the course of events.
Recalling his visit to Marib in late 2015, which had become a launchpad for military operations to liberate areas under Houthi control with the support of the Arab Coalition, Bahah expressed admiration for the leadership of the governorate and the military commanders at the time, including the late Major General Abdulrab al-Shadidi.
Bahah, a prominent Yemeni politician and diplomat, also discussed the "bitter" experiences of peace negotiations with the Houthis, from the Geneva I talks to the current "roadmap." He asserted that "war is the best option to impose peace on this militia, which only understands the language of war and thrives in its shadow."
In October 2014, Bahah was tasked with forming a National Partnership Government, just three weeks after the Houthis seized Sana'a and signed a "peace and partnership" agreement with all political parties and forces in the country.
After three months in office, he resigned in protest against the Houthis' actions and interference in the government. In April 2015, he was appointed Vice President, while continuing to serve as Prime Minister, leading the government from exile. He returned to Aden in August 2015 after it was declared the temporary capital of Yemen.
the interview :
Q: What is Khalid Bahah's assessment of the local authorities' stance in Marib during the Houthi attack on the province in 2014, and their role in uniting local efforts to protect sovereign institutions and vital facilities? What significance did this stance and role hold in that period of Yemeni history?
A: Marib's leadership was proactive in defending the legitimate state institutions against the Houthi coup. This was a crucial stand, especially considering the unfortunate support some political and social forces gave to the coup at the time. The consequences of this support are now felt by all Yemenis, affecting their present and the future of their children.
Q: What were the implications of Marib's tribes rejecting the Houthi coup? How did this inspire hope and resistance among Yemenis?
A: The tribes of Marib, along with the local authorities and political groups, formed a united front against the coup. This collaboration significantly influenced the course of events.
The Houthis believed they would conquer northern Yemen and use Marib as a gateway to the eastern provinces. However, Marib, with all its components, stood firm and declared its resistance. This echoed the historical role of Marib and its tribes in opposing previous attempts at domination, like the Imamate era, and their participation in the 1962 revolution. We remember the great martyr Ali Nasser al-Qarda'i and the role of Marib in the September 26th Revolution.
Q: How do you evaluate the stance of Marib's political parties, who defied their central leadership in Sana'a and joined the resistance alongside the tribes and local authorities?
A: Their stance was truly commendable. Many parties, including the General People's Congress, chose to resist the coup alongside the other components of Marib's political and tribal structure.
Such situations highlight the importance of wisdom and judgment in party leadership, both at the central and local levels. While many central leaders chose to participate or appease the coup, Marib's local leaders clearly declared their support for the state and its institutions.
Q: You visited Marib in late 2015 and called for resistance against the Houthi coup. How did you find the province after its success in repelling the Houthi advance and becoming a hub for the liberation effort and the restoration of the state?
A: I remember my visit to Marib and the high morale of the provincial leadership, particularly Sheikh Sultan al-Arada, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, and the military leadership, including the late Brigadier General Abdulrab al-Shaddadi and his comrades, many of whom were martyred. May Allah grant them mercy.
This morale was a driving force for us in the state leadership, fueling our determination to complete the project of restoring the state, ending the coup by all means, and achieving a decisive victory.
While some factors and circumstances delayed the project, it remains a goal for all Yemenis. The day will come when the militias' project ends, and the national state, protecting the rights of all its citizens, will be restored.
We must not forget the sacrifices and support of our brothers in the Arab Coalition for the Support of Legitimacy, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who lost many of their finest officers and soldiers in the fight against the Houthi coup.
Q: Your famous quote from your speech in Marib, "We raised the banner of war for the sake of peace," reflects the stance of Marib's tribes, parties, and authorities. How does this statement justify their decision to resist?
A: I believe this statement continues to resonate today.
Despite all the attempts, initiatives, and peace efforts, from Geneva I to Stockholm, and the current roadmap discussions, the Houthis have proven their lack of seriousness in the peace process.
Our bitter experiences with them demonstrate that war is the only way to impose peace on this militia, which only understands the language of war and thrives in its shadow.
Q: What is your message to Marib, its tribes, parties, and authorities on the 10th anniversary of their heroic stand in defense of the state, the republican system, national identity, and values of coexistence and peace?
A: Marib is one of the strongholds of the Republic. I am confident that Marib, which resisted the Houthi coup, will be a cornerstone of the Yemeni national state project.
My greetings to Marib and all its honorable people, especially Sheikh Sultan al-Arada.