Barran Press - By Faris Yahya
September 2014 marked a turning point in the Yemeni conflict, highlighting the stark contrast between the "state project" championed by the internationally recognized government and its supporting national forces, and the "project of war and destruction" led by the Iranian-backed Houthi group.
The first scene saw the Houthis storm the capital Sana'a, seizing control of state institutions and plundering them before the eyes of the world. This was countered by the sight of "Marib tribes" rallying to defend the state, the republican system, and public interests.
Defamation and Incitement
While the oil-rich Marib (northeastern Yemen) proved an unyielding rock against the Iranian-funded Houthi project, the group's attack on the region coincided with widespread propaganda campaigns aimed at defaming the "Marib tribes" and inciting public opinion against them.
Analyzing Houthi media rhetoric, particularly in 2014, reveals a significant investment in these campaigns. They employed substantial funds, mobilizing international newspapers and agencies alongside their extensive media apparatus, including newspapers, satellite channels, radio stations, and social media platforms.
This was the first overt campaign of defamation and incitement against Yemeni tribes. Prior campaigns were cloaked under the guise of partisan or community affiliations, all portraying tribes as "antithetical to the state, the historical enemy hindering Yemen's progress."
Against Terrorism and Defamation
As the Houthi attack on Marib commenced, the province witnessed intense and unexpected acts of sabotage targeting power lines and oil pipelines. The Houthi propaganda machine swiftly accused the tribes of being behind these acts, rallying citizens to invade the province under the pretext of securing vital facilities and interests.
To debunk this narrative, which flooded public opinion with misleading information, the "Marib tribes" convened a meeting on November 19, 2014, issuing a statement clarifying their objective: to confront any aggression against "our land and honor." They reiterated their unwavering and principled stance against terrorism and sabotage.
The tribes affirmed their possession of the names of saboteurs and the entities behind them within the province, revealing that the purpose of these activities was to "tarnish the reputation of the heroic sons of Marib and create flimsy pretexts for those who want to attack the province (the Houthis)."
They emphasized that "protecting the homeland, citizens, and sovereign interests is the responsibility of the constitutional legitimacy through its executive authority, and no entity has the right to replace it." This echoed the tribes' consistent support for the state.
The tribes reaffirmed that Marib would be "a graveyard for any aggressor against the honor and dignity of its sons, and for anyone who violates constitutional legitimacy and national consensus." They warned those siding with or supporting the Houthis that they would be "enemies of the tribes of the province." This also applied to those who "incite against the sons of Marib through media and distort their image."
In a subsequent statement issued on the same day, the Marib tribes commended the role of the province's military and security institutions, praising their response to subversive elements who attempted to attack the gas station and sever the Sa'fer-Marib line.
They considered the army's success in repelling and pursuing these elements "proof that the military institution is still capable of fulfilling its duty." They pledged their support for the military institution to safeguard public interests, vital facilities, and secure the international road.
Meanwhile, a large meeting on January 21, 2015, bringing together local authority leaders in Marib, party heads, and tribal sheiks, condemned the media assault directed against Marib and its people, which portrayed them in a false light. They called on "honorable people to stand with the sons of Marib in the face of the targeting they are subjected to under the cover of a destructive and aggressive regional media."
Six Lies Used to Demonize Marib
Lie #1: Terrorists
A significant portion of the Houthi campaign of "incitement and defamation" focused on portraying Marib as a haven for al-Qaeda, and its people as "criminals" and enemies of the regime. This aimed to incite the public against them and persuade Western nations to support their attack on the governorate.
In early January 2015, the Houthi leader threatened to invade Marib under the pretext of protecting it from what he called "takfiris and al-Qaeda." In a televised speech, he labeled the tribes of Marib "criminals."
During the same month, the Houthis deliberately provided international agencies with misleading information about events in Marib, depicting the tribes as extremists. One example was a report by CNN, which later apologized after the tribes of Marib demanded a retraction for the "misleading and biased" report, calling it "direct incitement against the tribes of the governorate."
In a statement at the time, the tribes of Marib considered CNN's labeling of them as "armed extremists" and the inclusion of false information in the report to be unprofessional, aimed at misleading public opinion and distorting the truth, serving parties hostile to Marib.
At the time, local activists launched a wide-scale media campaign to defend the people and tribes of Marib under the hashtag #Kings_of_Sheba_are_not_al-Qaeda.
In this context, the commander of the Bayhan axis, commander of the 26th Infantry Brigade, Major General Mefreh Bahibah, revealed a plan "to strike Marib by pinning the blame of terrorism on its people and portraying them as armed terrorist groups." He explained in the second episode of the "Bran Podcast" that this plan "came after the designation of Marib and its surroundings as the axis of evil, where they were portraying the tribe as the head of terrorism."
Lie #2: Saboteurs
Houthi rumors against the tribes of Marib also included accusing them of disrupting services related to the daily lives of Yemenis, specifically oil, gas, and electricity, aiming to incite the public and rally them to fight alongside them under the guise of securing public interests.
They also spread rumors to demonize the people of Marib abroad, portraying them as "terrorists" targeting international oil companies and threatening the world's oil supplies. They incited the Americans to bomb the tribal "positions" that formed to prevent the group from taking control of the governorate by force.
From the outset, the Marib tribes condemned the acts of sabotage witnessed in the governorate at the time and cooperated with government agencies in tracking down saboteurs and protecting sovereign institutions, vital facilities, and service interests.
The local authority leadership repeatedly confirmed its readiness to restore gas-powered electricity to Sana'a, but the Houthis rejected this offer and even targeted technical teams while they were repairing power transmission towers east of Sana'a.
Recently, the Houthi group has practically proven its monopoly on acts of sabotage and destruction in the country, evident in both the public threats of its leaders and the armed targeting of vital facilities related to the lives of Yemenis and international navigation.
In October 2022, they targeted oil export ports in the governorates of Shabwa and Hadramaut (eastern Yemen), preventing exports, which led to the suspension of employee salaries and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis facing the Yemeni people.
Recently, the Houthis targeted the Safer company in Marib, the largest national oil and gas production company, with three drones, which were intercepted by army forces. Before that, they bombed the oil pipeline in the "Serwah" area west of Marib, leading to the "Ras Issa" area in the governorate of Hodeidah.
These operations were preceded and followed by threats from Houthi leaders to target and disrupt these interests, including "Hussein al-Ezzi," the deputy foreign minister in the unrecognized government of the group, who threatened to target Safer and any international company that comes to carry out maintenance work on the Marib gas plant, claiming that Marib monopolizes oil and electricity.
Since late last year, the group has officially begun targeting commercial ships passing through Bab al-Mandab, causing the burning and sinking of several, considering these actions, which have harmed oil supplies to the entire world, to be heroic acts.
Lie #3: Marib is a haven for bandits.
The Houthis have falsely accused Marib residents of being bandits, claiming they prey on travelers and steal their belongings. Isolated incidents fueled this narrative, but it quickly crumbled as millions of displaced Yemenis sought refuge in Marib or passed through it. These refugees, experiencing firsthand the safety and hospitality of Marib, confirmed that the accusations were nothing more than a politically motivated smear campaign.
The truth is, that the Houthis themselves are the ones obstructing roads and terrorizing travelers. By closing major roads and setting up checkpoints on smaller routes, they rob, kidnap, and harass those passing through. Their refusal to comply with local, international, and UN initiatives to reopen these roads exposes their true intentions: to restrict movement and suffocate the Yemeni people.
Marib's governor, Sheikh Sultan al-Arada, even proposed unilaterally reopening the Marib-Sana'a road. Still, the Houthis rejected it, particularly the Marib-Nehm-Sana'a route, which is the most convenient for travelers.
In contrast, Marib and Jawf residents have consistently organized initiatives over the past four years to protect travelers on the alternative desert routes, forced upon them by the Houthis' road closures.
Sheikh Alawi al-Basha bin Zab'a, a member of the Yemeni Shura Council, stated in a podcast last May that the false portrayal of Marib residents as bandits was widespread before the Houthi coup. However, Marib's resistance against the Houthis changed this perception. He believes that Marib's steadfast opposition to the Houthi takeover debunked the false narrative of Marib, Jawf, and Shabwa being hubs of evil.
Lie #4: Marib residents are hostile to foreigners.
The Houthis have spread misinformation claiming that Marib residents are anti-foreigners and that any stranger entering their territory faces kidnapping and death. This propaganda, according to observers, aimed to justify their attacks on Marib, silence local and international condemnation of their crimes against civilians, and isolate the province.
This lie was quickly debunked by Marib's success in preventing the Houthis from taking over the province. Marib has since welcomed numerous foreign delegations, including ambassadors from various countries, officials, and journalists from across the globe.
In stark contrast, the Houthis have made a habit of kidnapping foreigners and international organization employees, extorting their respective governments for ransom, mirroring the tactics of terrorist groups. This practice, as confirmed by local and international investigations, has become a lucrative source of income for the Houthis.
Lie #5: Marib residents hoard the country's wealth.
The Houthis have deliberately created fuel shortages in areas under their control, blaming Marib residents for hoarding oil and gas resources and denying them to the rest of the population.
Despite this propaganda, it has not gained widespread traction, especially in recent years, as Marib hosts approximately 3 million Yemenis from various provinces. Notably, when the Houthis first attacked Marib in late 2014, the local tribes emphasized that they were fighting to defend the province, which benefits all Yemenis.
Marib's local authorities have consistently ensured the flow of oil and gas to all provinces before the Houthis blocked it in areas under their control. They then resorted to importing fuel from Iran and selling it to citizens at inflated prices.
Lie #6: Marib is a hostile environment for women.
The Houthis have spread rumors accusing Marib tribes of oppressing women, hindering their progress, and being responsible for their backwardness. However, the reality of Marib over the past five years has shattered this narrative. Women in Marib have achieved unprecedented progress in all fields since the republic's establishment.
Marib's local authorities have actively encouraged girls to pursue primary and university education, providing them with all necessary facilities, including free transportation to and from the university for students from remote areas.
Marib's tribes have shown remarkable receptiveness to educating their daughters, defying the prevalent perception. Furthermore, local authorities have empowered Marib women by appointing them to administrative and leadership positions in government and civil institutions.
In contrast, the Houthis have imposed severe restrictions on women, impacting all aspects of their lives. They have deprived women of education, employment, and freedom of movement under the guise of "mixing of genders." Their control extends to dictating women's clothing, movement, and even the volume of their voices.
The truth about Marib is far different from the distorted picture painted by the Houthis. The province is a haven for displaced Yemenis, welcomes foreigners and actively promotes women's rights. Marib's resilience and resistance against the Houthis have exposed the lies spread by the rebels and revealed the true nature of their oppressive regime.
Marib's Transformation: From Outlaws to Defenders of the Nation
"Before 2014, the prevailing narrative in the media, often fueled by individuals connected to the regime for various reasons, portrayed Marib tribes as bandits, criminals, backward, and obstacles to development," Journalist Marib al-Ward told Barran Press.
However, when the tribes rose to defend their existence, their province, and the republic, the perception of Marib tribes changed drastically. "The stereotypical image of Marib tribes transformed for all Yemenis after they proved their loyalty to the state and their shared fate with it," al-Ward explained.
Observers agree that the Marib tribes' fight was not only about defending their land and the republic but also about restoring their true identity and showcasing the real character of their people.
This transformation highlights the power of resistance and the ability of a community to redefine itself in the face of adversity. The Marib tribes' courageous stand against the Houthis has not only defended their province but also redefined their image, proving their loyalty to the republic and their commitment to a brighter future for Yemen.