Northern Yemen

Introducing Northern Yemen

The rough-and-ready north has always been Yemen’s hardest and proudest region and even today its fierce tribes are regarded with trepidation and respect by the rest of the country. Parts of this area seem to plunge constantly in and out of dispute and armed conflict. At the time of writing, almost the entire Sa’da province was out of bounds, though the city itself and the road to San’a were just about open. (The situation is highly unstable and changes on a daily basis.)

North of Sa’da a violent uprising has dragged on since 2003 between government forces and a group of Zaydi fighters calling themselves the ‘Believing Youth’. Led originally by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi and, following his death, by his identically named father, this anti-Western, anti- government group is fighting to overthrow the Yemeni government, which they claim is too pro-Western. The result has been heavy casualties on both sides. The group’s support base is north of Sa’da, but areas to the south of the city, including towns and villages on the road to San’a, also show a degree of support for the uprising. Therefore many areas, including the route to Shaharah and anywhere further north, are currently quite tense. Though the government has recently reopened some areas to tour groups, you should consider the situation carefully – there are many equally impressive places in Yemen where the reception is likely to be much warmer.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009