Houthis fueling a fuel crisis in Yemen
Yemen's economic crisis continues to intensify because of the practices of the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
There is an acute
shortage of petroleum products in Yemeni capital Sana'a. This comes at the time
the Houthis hold back hundreds of tanker trucks full of gasoline and diesel and
restrict their distribution to the outlets they control.
The shortages are opening
the door for black market dealings to thrive. However, black market traders are
raising the prices of petroleum products in unimaginable manners. The same is
happening in the case of other commodities that are also disappearing and are sold
at the black market for prices far higher than their original prices.
The Houthi militia has
reserved a place at the premises of the National Petroleum Company for
refueling their cars. Ordinary Yemenis are not allowed to refuel their cars in
the same places.
Tough living
conditions
The fuel shortage
compounds the tough living conditions of Yemeni citizens, especially in Sana'a
and other areas controlled by the Houthis.
The Iran-backed militia
has been stealing the salaries of civilian and military employees for five
years now.
Yemeni Information
Minister Muammar al-Eriani criticized the Houthis for keeping petroleum
products for themselves, which is opening the door for the black market to
thrive.
He said the Houthis had
prevented over 150 tanker trucks loaded with petroleum products from entering
the areas they control.
Apart from hindering
the entry of the trucks to the cities they control, al-Eriani said, the Houthis
threaten motorists and give them a hard time.
He said the Houthis
claim that the petroleum products arriving in the cities they control do not
meet standards.
