Businessman: Houthi militia prevents traders in legitimate areas from distributing their goods in areas under its control

A Yemeni businessman said on Friday that the Houthi militia is completely preventing commercial movement between the liberated areas and the areas under its control.

Businessman Sami Shamsan, a Yemeni importer who has been working in the trade sector for many years, confirmed that “the Houthi militia recently began preventing traders in the liberated areas from distributing their goods in the areas it controls.”

He stressed that "about a month ago, the militia began preventing merchants, including him, from bringing their goods into Sana'a and areas under Houthi control," accusing "the Houthi militia of dividing the country on the ground."

Shamsan warned in a post on Facebook today, Friday, that the division of the economy currently practiced by the Houthis will cause the private sector in government areas to lose permanently.

He pointed out that the Houthi militia is working to support new traders to control the agencies of traders whose goods are banned from entering Houthi areas.

Shamsan called for taking options to respond to what the Houthis are doing, such as reciprocity or allowing economic movement.

It is worth noting that the Houthi militia had prevented traders in areas under its control in February 2023 from importing through government areas, and completely banned them from importing except through the ports of Hodeidah, incurring losses of hundreds of billions annually by the government, and effectively splitting the economy and the private sector into two parts.