A philanthropist sponsored its construction.. Houthi leaders prevent the expansion of a mosque in Al-Udain, west of Ibb

For several months, military leaders in the Houthi militia have continued to prevent the expansion of a mosque in one of the towns of Ibb Governorate (central Yemen).

Local sources said that military leaders in the Houthi militia are preventing the expansion of the Al-Salbah Mosque, located on the road linking Ibb - Hodeidah in Al-Udayn District, west of Ibb.

The sources added that the two leaders of the Houthi militia in Al-Udain District (Abu Kamal and Abu Saleh Shaharah) have been preventing the start of rebuilding the mosque for months after it was demolished for the purpose of expanding it by a charitable person.

She added that the benefactor had begun digging foundations to build mosques, but the Houthi leaders stopped the digging process under pretexts described as "weak and flimsy."

She pointed out that the land on which the mosque is to be expanded is sufficient for the mosque and its area is estimated at 13 qasabas, and it is a land endowment from one of the families in the region.

The sources warned that the prevention operation could be a prelude to seizing the land located on the line linking the governorates of Hodeidah and Ibb, as part of systematic operations led by Houthi gangs and leaders against state property and endowments in the governorate.