United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was urged by lawmakers to redesignate the Iran-backed Houthi militias as a terrorist organization, Al Arabiya reported on Tuesday.
Secretary Blinkin announced today that he will revoke designations of Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist group - effective Feb. 16 - .https://t.co/l0xAMXgJON #YemenCantWait
— Aisha (@AishaJumaan) February 12, 2021
Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote in a letter to Blinken that attacks in the Middle East have increased, which include targeting civilians and energy infrastructures, the report said.
President’s Joe Biden’s administration reversed one of Donald Trump’s decisions that placed the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization.
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had blacklisted the Houthis on Jan. 19, one day before Biden took office.
“The designations are intended to hold Ansar Allah accountable for its terrorist acts, including cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure, and commercial shipping,” Pompeo said.
United Nations officials are warning that the Trump administration's designation of Yemen's Houth insurgent group as a foreign terrorist organization could lead to widespread famine in that country, where millions are already at risk of starving. https://t.co/cww26KBlG4
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) January 15, 2021
“The designations are also intended to advance efforts to achieve a peaceful, sovereign and united Yemen that is both free from Iranian interference and at peace with its neighbors.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
