Aden (South24)

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Security Belt Forces, aligned with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the capital, Aden, announced the arrest of two senior commanders from the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in a security operation described as "high-quality" yesterday.

In a statement, the Security Belt Forces identified the detainees as Abdul-Mumin Mohammed Ismail and Abdul-Hakim Abdul-Mumin Ismail, who both held significant military roles within the Houthis’ ranks. The arrests followed careful surveillance and were based on credible intelligence.

Abdul-Mumin Ismail, a brigadier general, previously served as the deputy governor of Taiz in Houthi-controlled areas. Preliminary investigations suggest that Ismail played a pivotal role in espionage operations for the militia, aiding the militia in securing strategic sites in Taiz.

The statement also revealed Ismail’s involvement in the forced recruitment of children, a practice deemed a "war crime”, as they were sent to the front lines of combat. 

Abdul-Hakim Ismail, a captain, held the position of deputy director of the Department of Protection of Morals in the Criminal Investigation Department in Houthi-controlled parts of Taiz Governorate. Investigations indicate Abdul-Hakim’s participation in espionage and child recruitment operations for the Houthis.

According to the statement, both men have been referred to the specialized criminal prosecution in Aden for further legal proceedings.

The Security Belt Forces reiterated their commitment to tracking down Houthi elements that threaten the security and stability of South.

A reliable source within the Security Belt Forces informed the South24 Center that the arrests of the two Houthi leaders were made after they returned from Egypt on a flight to Aden International Airport. They were apprehended at a mobile security checkpoint set up outside the airport.

The source criticized the Yemeni government’s political and national security services for failing to track and apprehend these Houthi leaders. No explanation was provided for the commanders' visit to Egypt.

In a related development, the Houthi militia announced on Tuesday the appointment of a new Iranian ambassador to Sanaa, replacing Hasan Irlu, who died in December under mysterious circumstances.

The Houthi-run Saba news agency reported that Jamal Amer, the foreign minister of the unrecognized government, met with the new ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Yemen, Mohammad Ali Ramazani. Ramzani presented a copy of his credentials as the new ambassador and extraordinary plenipotentiary to Yemen.

The agency did not disclose details regarding the arrival of the new ambassador in Sanaa.

In late 2020, Hasan Irlu, the former Iranian ambassador to the Houthis, arrived in Sanaa. While the Houthis acknowledged him in a diplomatic capacity, the internationally recognized government alleged that Irlu was a general Iranian supervisor of the Houthis and a director of their military operations, particularly those extending beyond Yemen’s borders.

In December of the same year, the US Treasury sanctioned Irlu, describing him as "an official in the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian regime's envoy to the Houthi rebels in Yemen."

The appointment of a new Iranian ambassador comes on the heels of the formation of a new Houthi government in Sanaa two weeks ago, which will oversee the areas of North Yemen controlled by the militia.

The appointment also coincides with the recent arrival of ambassadors from various Asian, European and African countries in Aden, who presented their credentials to the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Notably, Iran remains the only nation in the world exchanging ambassadors with the Houthis.