Dr.  Abdulraqib Saif Fateh , former Minister of Local Administration, has lauded the role of the Marib Governorate and its political and societal components in defending the republic and confronting the Houthi group's coup against the legitimate Yemeni government.

In a statement to "Barran Press," coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the "Matareh" (camps) in Marib, Fateh stated that "Marib Governorate, with all its components, has a clear stance in support of the republic and in rejection of the Imamate." He added that "I witnessed and heard this stance firsthand during my numerous visits to Marib and the meetings I held there."

He further emphasized that "clarity of vision created sound and healthy stances, and in the most critical moments for the republic, Marib stood as an impenetrable barrier against the Imamate and its various expansions."

Fateh h continued, "Marib, with its diverse components, believes in establishing a just state, a state of equality and national partnership," and therefore, he said, "it is a significant lever in supporting the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference in reshaping the state as a federal entity."

The prominent Yemeni politician praised the awareness demonstrated by Marib and its societal and political components, and the "sound" vision that he said "created stances that remain in place to this day."

He asserted that all attempts by the Houthi group to "break Marib and undermine its stances" have failed. "The soundness of the vision created unity and strength in Marib's stance," he added.

Fateh went on to say, "We must not forget the stances of the local authority in Marib under the leadership of Sheikh Sultan al-Arada, and its support for Marib's positions and demands."

The former Minister of Local Administration considered that "the consistency of the local authority's stances was the foundation for Marib's embrace of all components of the Yemeni people without regionalism or sectarianism."

In conclusion, the former Yemeni minister stated that "Marib has become expansive and represents the entire mosaic of the national fabric, a model for the desired homeland."

On September 18, 2014, tribes in Marib established armed popular camps known as "Matareh" on the northern, western, and southern outskirts, to confront the escalating Houthi attacks aimed at seizing control of the governorate by force.

This step, a traditional tribal custom for confronting threats, came after two months of Houthi mobilization and attacks on tribal members in border areas with the governorates of Jawf and Sana'a. This followed the Houthi takeover of the city of Amran in July 2014 and their advance towards the capital Sana'a, culminating in its capture on September 21, 2014.