Houthi Militias Invent Fuel Crisis to Double Profits Funding Their Yemen War Effort
The internationally recognized Yemeni government has renewed its accusations of economic sabotage against the Iran-backed Houthis militias, who have deliberately created a fuel crisis in areas under their control to reap doubled profits on supplies they sell on the black market.
“Houthis are selling most of the fuel imports
that arrive through Hodeidah seaport in the black market,” the Supreme Economic
Council of the Yemeni government said on Saturday.
Fuel flow indicators in Yemen
during the first half of April showed the militias have caused the fuel crisis
in regions under their control to revive the black market and plunder the
public to finance what they call “the war effort,” the council said.
Over 276,000 metric tons of fuel
have been imported in the first half of April, enough to meet the fuel needs
across the country for 20 days, it added.
However, 70% of the fuel has been
transported to Houthi-run regions, an average of 12,000 metric tons a day, but
the militias have sold it to the black market, it revealed.
The Houthis have also hiked fuel
prices by 150% in their regions, the council said, accusing the militias of
using the humanitarian file to mislead and blackmail the international
community and agencies.
The militias have been causing
crises as part of their policies to starve the people, the council stressed.
“Despite the inflow of fuel supplies exceeding
civilian needs, the Houthis insist on strengthening the black market,
exploiting the people and trading in the human suffering they caused,” the
council reaffirmed in a tweet.
Information Minister Moammar
al-Eryani echoed the statements made by the council and reasserted that the
Houthis are capitalizing on the pain of Yemenis.
While Houthis continue to seize
and hoard fuel supplies in their warehouses, the Aden-based government is
working relentlessly to ease the suffering of Yemenis by ensuring it does what
it can to keep oil products flowing into the war-torn country.
