On December 26, 2024, a security source disclosed that the Iran-backed Houthi group, classified as a terrorist organization, is conducting extensive recruitment efforts to attract young men from Shabwa province in eastern Yemen.

Speaking to Barran Press on the condition of anonymity, the source indicated that the Houthis have been actively recruiting youth across various districts in Shabwa for several months as part of a broader strategy targeting the region.

The recruitment process reportedly begins by enticing young men with financial incentives and weapons at the district and village levels. Recruits are then transported to Saada province, the Houthi stronghold in the far north of the country, using desert routes that pass through Al-Jawf province.

According to the source, the recruits are moved in groups of approximately 40 individuals, where they are welcomed by Houthi factions in areas under their control in Al-Jawf. The recruits receive meals and qat (a stimulant plant) before being taken to Al-Hazm, the capital of Al-Jawf, and then onward to Saada.

In Saada, the recruits undergo mandatory cultural and combat training as a prerequisite for joining the Houthi ranks. After completing these courses, they are sent to Sana’a, where they are organized into units and each receives an automatic weapon along with a payment of 500 Saudi riyals.

The source noted that after their training, the recruits are returned to Shabwa individually via taxis, using various routes, and are then deployed in their local areas, prepared for further instructions from the Houthi leadership.

The source also revealed the names of individuals involved in the recruitment network in Shabwa, led by Abdulqadir Al-Talabi, a local resident who has been working with the Houthis for several years. Other recruiters include Mohammed Saleh Sarwah Al-Thubani, Ali Saleh Barasin Al-Atiqi, Haitham Saleh Mohammed Abubakar, and Fahmi Abdulnabi Al-Diyani, among others.

Additionally, several individuals are responsible for providing transportation for the recruits, including Salem Talib Al-Hadar Al-Talabi and Mabkhout Mohammed Mubarak Al-Hamami.

The source warned of a significant Houthi plan targeting Shabwa, emphasizing that the information was gathered through extensive surveillance that began in late November 2024. The Houthi presence is concentrated in several elevated areas on the western outskirts of Shabwa, bordering the provinces of Al-Bayda and Harib in southern Marib.