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| Yemen’s political turmoil deepens as president, cabinet resign | Yemen’s political turmoil deepens as president, cabinet resign |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s Western-backed president and the rest of the country’s leadership resigned Thursday after days of chaos that left well-armed rebels in effective control of a nation on the front lines of the U.S.-led fight against terrorism. | SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s Western-backed president and the rest of the country’s leadership resigned Thursday after days of chaos that left well-armed rebels in effective control of a nation on the front lines of the U.S.-led fight against terrorism. |
| The resignations plunged the country into deep political uncertainty and forced the United States and its Arab allies to quickly reassess their strategies in one of the most volatile corners of the Arabian Peninsula — one where a powerful branch of al-Qaeda has established strongholds. | |
| The Houthi rebels — believed backed by Iran — now seem to hold the upper hand as the country’s de facto leaders amid a power vacuum. | The Houthi rebels — believed backed by Iran — now seem to hold the upper hand as the country’s de facto leaders amid a power vacuum. |
| [Read: What you need to know about the ongoing tumult in Yemen] | [Read: What you need to know about the ongoing tumult in Yemen] |
| Days of rapid advances by the Houthi fighters had already left them in charge of the political direction of Yemen. | Days of rapid advances by the Houthi fighters had already left them in charge of the political direction of Yemen. |
| The showdown atmosphere appeared to ease Wednesday after the announcement of a power-sharing accord that left room for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi — who had been pinned down in his residence — to remain in his post. | The showdown atmosphere appeared to ease Wednesday after the announcement of a power-sharing accord that left room for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi — who had been pinned down in his residence — to remain in his post. |
| It unraveled suddenly a day later with Yemen’s leadership apparently balking at the deal. | It unraveled suddenly a day later with Yemen’s leadership apparently balking at the deal. |
| A government spokesman, Rageh Badi, said resignations were submitted by the entire Yemeni cabinet. Moments later, Yemen-based media reported that the president also would step down. | A government spokesman, Rageh Badi, said resignations were submitted by the entire Yemeni cabinet. Moments later, Yemen-based media reported that the president also would step down. |
| In a resignation letter to the Yemeni parliament, Hadi said: “I have found myself incapable of achieving the goal I wanted to reach, as I have endured a lot of suffering and abandonment and lack of participation in taking the responsibility from the political parties in order to bring Yemen to a safe path.” He apologized to the parliament and the nation, saying that now “we have reached a dead end.” | |
| Badi gave no further details of the cabinet’s mass resignation, but Prime Minister Khaled Bahah posted on his Facebook page that he resigned to avoid being drawn “into an abyss” of policies “based on no law.” | |
| “We don’t want to be a party to what is happening or will happen,” he added, the Associated Press reported. | “We don’t want to be a party to what is happening or will happen,” he added, the Associated Press reported. |
| Military officials quoted by the AP said Hadi resigned after the Houthis pressured him to give a televised address seeking to calm the streets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists. | Military officials quoted by the AP said Hadi resigned after the Houthis pressured him to give a televised address seeking to calm the streets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists. |
| The government was formed in November as part of a U.N.-brokered peace deal after the Houthis overran the capital two months earlier. Hadi, who took office in 2012, was seen as a key partner for U.S. drone strikes and other efforts seeking to cripple al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which claimed a role in the terrorist bloodshed earlier this month in Paris. | The government was formed in November as part of a U.N.-brokered peace deal after the Houthis overran the capital two months earlier. Hadi, who took office in 2012, was seen as a key partner for U.S. drone strikes and other efforts seeking to cripple al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which claimed a role in the terrorist bloodshed earlier this month in Paris. |
| The Houthis now could have greater sway over Yemen’s military and intelligence services, raising concerns of greater capabilities and firepower if the nation spills into full-scale civil war. | The Houthis now could have greater sway over Yemen’s military and intelligence services, raising concerns of greater capabilities and firepower if the nation spills into full-scale civil war. |
| The fast-moving developments also raised questions about the future of U.S. counterterrorism cooperation in Yemen — although the Houthis consider al-Qaeda as a rival. | The fast-moving developments also raised questions about the future of U.S. counterterrorism cooperation in Yemen — although the Houthis consider al-Qaeda as a rival. |
| In Washington, the State Department said it would assess the U.S. diplomatic presence in Yemen as the situation unfolds but that no immediate changes were being planned. | In Washington, the State Department said it would assess the U.S. diplomatic presence in Yemen as the situation unfolds but that no immediate changes were being planned. |
| The rebels, meanwhile, sought to strengthen their grip on the country with attacks in central Marib province, the country’s main oil and gas region. Yemen’s exports are tiny compared with energy-rich neighbors in the region, but the revenue is critical in the Arab world’s most impoverished nation. | The rebels, meanwhile, sought to strengthen their grip on the country with attacks in central Marib province, the country’s main oil and gas region. Yemen’s exports are tiny compared with energy-rich neighbors in the region, but the revenue is critical in the Arab world’s most impoverished nation. |
| Tribal leaders said their militiamen had held off an attempt by Houthi units to capture an army base in Marib, the Reuters news agency reported. | Tribal leaders said their militiamen had held off an attempt by Houthi units to capture an army base in Marib, the Reuters news agency reported. |
| In the southern city of Aden, the airport and seaports were reopened Thursday, a day after they were closed by authorities fearing a widening of the unrest, news agencies reported. | In the southern city of Aden, the airport and seaports were reopened Thursday, a day after they were closed by authorities fearing a widening of the unrest, news agencies reported. |
| The agreement Wednesday between the two sides called for the Houthis to end their siege of the president’s residence and call off their offensive, which the Yemeni government and regional Arab states decried as a coup attempt. | The agreement Wednesday between the two sides called for the Houthis to end their siege of the president’s residence and call off their offensive, which the Yemeni government and regional Arab states decried as a coup attempt. |
| Hadi agreed to the deal after Houthi rebels seized his presidential palace and surrounded his residence about three miles away, according to aides. | Hadi agreed to the deal after Houthi rebels seized his presidential palace and surrounded his residence about three miles away, according to aides. |
| Hours before the pact, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that Hadi remains the head of “the legitimate Yemeni government” and that “we remain in touch with him.” She said U.S. counterterrorism cooperation with his government is continuing “at this point in time.” | Hours before the pact, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that Hadi remains the head of “the legitimate Yemeni government” and that “we remain in touch with him.” She said U.S. counterterrorism cooperation with his government is continuing “at this point in time.” |
| White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Obama administration was monitoring the situation “minute by minute.” | White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Obama administration was monitoring the situation “minute by minute.” |
| “We’ll take whatever steps are necessary to protect American citizens up to and including evacuating the embassy if we determine that’s necessary,” he told reporters. | “We’ll take whatever steps are necessary to protect American citizens up to and including evacuating the embassy if we determine that’s necessary,” he told reporters. |
| The fighting has been the most intense since the Houthis stormed into the capital in September and began taking control of Yemen’s institutions, as well as at least nine provincial capitals. | The fighting has been the most intense since the Houthis stormed into the capital in September and began taking control of Yemen’s institutions, as well as at least nine provincial capitals. |
| In a televised speech Tuesday evening, the Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, threatened Hadi with more attacks if he did not give in. | In a televised speech Tuesday evening, the Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, threatened Hadi with more attacks if he did not give in. |
| The rebels’ demands included a bigger role in drafting a new constitution acceptable to the Houthis, who have waged an intermittent war against the government since 2004. The majority of Yemen’s population is Sunni Muslim. | The rebels’ demands included a bigger role in drafting a new constitution acceptable to the Houthis, who have waged an intermittent war against the government since 2004. The majority of Yemen’s population is Sunni Muslim. |
| The Houthi assault alarmed Yemen’s neighbors, especially Sunni Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, which see the Shiite insurgents as proxies for Iran. Earlier Wednesday, foreign ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, harshly condemned the assault, calling it a “coup d’etat.” | The Houthi assault alarmed Yemen’s neighbors, especially Sunni Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, which see the Shiite insurgents as proxies for Iran. Earlier Wednesday, foreign ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, harshly condemned the assault, calling it a “coup d’etat.” |
| Hadi, who came to power in 2012 after a popular uprising led to the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, fostered unprecedented cooperation between Yemeni forces and the U.S. military in using drone strikes to target al-Qaeda militants. | Hadi, who came to power in 2012 after a popular uprising led to the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, fostered unprecedented cooperation between Yemeni forces and the U.S. military in using drone strikes to target al-Qaeda militants. |
| However, civilian casualties as a result of the attacks angered many Yemenis. | However, civilian casualties as a result of the attacks angered many Yemenis. |
| The Houthis have long demanded more political rights and an end to what they charge is official discrimination. They have portrayed their assault on the capital as part of a campaign to end corruption and initiate reforms that many Yemenis see as having stalled under Hadi’s leadership. | The Houthis have long demanded more political rights and an end to what they charge is official discrimination. They have portrayed their assault on the capital as part of a campaign to end corruption and initiate reforms that many Yemenis see as having stalled under Hadi’s leadership. |
| The Houthis, who follow the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam, reject accusations that they are acting as a proxy for Iran, which is led by Shiite clerics. Zaydis form about a third or more of Yemen’s population. | The Houthis, who follow the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam, reject accusations that they are acting as a proxy for Iran, which is led by Shiite clerics. Zaydis form about a third or more of Yemen’s population. |
| Murphy reported from Washington and Naylor from Beirut. Daniela Deane in London contributed to this report. | Murphy reported from Washington and Naylor from Beirut. Daniela Deane in London contributed to this report. |