Yemen's capital Sanaa is now under the complete control of Shia Houthi rebels. Fierce battles killed and injured some 500 people before the fall of Sanaa. The fragile army and security apparatus failed to respond when Houthi fighters clashed with soldiers and tribal loyalists of General Ali Muhsen, leader of the military wing of the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood. Muhsen has been the number-one enemy of Houthis since 2004, when he led the first war against the Houthi movement in Saada, northern Yemen. The war was not everywhere in Sanaa. It was only in three specific locations in one geographic area north of the capital: the base of the First Armoured Division, and nearby, the campus of Al-Eman University, and the state-run TV, located on a hill near Zandani University and General Muhsen's base. Al-Eman University is a religious institute led and owned by Abdul Majid Zandani. Zamdani is one of the spiritual leaders of the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood. The US and the UN have both named Zamdani as a global terrorist. In less than 24 hours, late Sunday, all institutions (military, security, and civil), and even the homes of important persons, came under the direct control of Houthi fighters. That was after the fall of state TV, Al-Eman University, and General Muhsen's base. The base of General Muhsen had only a few soldiers and militants in it, mostly students of Al-Eman University, and was officially no longer a military base. Earlier this year, President Hadi issued a decree to turn the base into an entertainment area for children, but General Muhsen had refused to comply with the decree. After the three places fell, one after the other, into the hands of Houthi fighters, the whole of Sanaa fell under Houthi control within hours, if not minutes. The army did engage with the rebel forces and Minister of Interior Abdu Al Tareb called on all security forces to cooperate with Houthi fighters. General Muhsen left his base at noon Sunday with a large convoy of tanks and armoured vehicles and immediately proceeded to President Hadi's palace where the two men reportedly engaged in an angry, name-calling row, before the general disappeared. Hadi and UN envoy Jamal Bin Omar were left waiting for Muhdi Al-Mashat and Hassan Al-Ezzi — two representatives of the top Houthi leader — to arrive to sign what they called “The Agreement of Peace and National Partnership.” Al-Mashat and Al-Ezzi refused to sign the security part of the agreement which requires the Houthi to withdraw their armed forces from Sanaa and Amran. According to the agreement, three Houthi demands will be met: a new government will be formed, the price of oil will be lowered, and outcomes of the national dialogue will be implemented. With General Muhsen gone, the Brotherhood will be left with only their political party, Islah. Muhsen represented the military wing of the Yemeni Brotherhood after the Al-Ahmar family was defeated in Amran last August. The Houthi are now trying to reconcile with Islah, absent the two defeated wings. Houthi leader Ali Al-Bukhaiti thanked what he called the “national” leaders of Islah for not taking part in the war against the Houthi. What is the next step? Four scenarios appear possible: a Shia state led by the Houthi and supported by Iran; a sectarian war like that in Iraq, with Saudi Arabia supporting Sunnis and Iran supporting Shia; a state led by strongman or dictator, like Ali Abdullah Saleh or his son, or anyone from his party, supported by Saudi Arabia; or establishment of a civil and just state that would protect the rights and liberties of Yemenis as individuals and groups according to the “Peace Agreement” and the outcome of national dialogue.
