Baraa Shiban براء شيبان Profile picture
Associate Fellow with @RUSI_org @ISS_RUSI. Analyst on #Yemen and the Gulf. RT ≠ endorsement. Opinions shared are my own
Apr 7 9 tweets 3 min read
Every time there is an assassination of an IRGC officer or an attack on their bases in Iraq & Syria, I feel I need to explain what is becoming a moral dilemma for many fellow liberals in Western capitals.
The IRGC is not a typical military force & their presence in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon & Yemen is associated with a lot of death, destruction & misery. Here are just some examples: Let’s begin with Syria, the new frontier for the IRGC & specifically the Palestinian camps: this is the Yarmouk Refugee Camp - the biggest Palestinian gathering outside of Palestine.
The Iran backed groups put the camp under siege, used barrel bombs, snipers & constant shelling.
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Jan 11 5 tweets 1 min read
All sources indicate that Prime Minister @RishiSunak is meeting with his cabinet tonight to decide on launching airstrikes against the Houthis in #Yemen.

I have written extensively about the Houthis and I will share my remarks in this thread First: Any airstrikes against the Houthis are expected to be limited.
The Houthi do not have big military infrastructure so any strikes will likely target some missile launchpads or radar installations. This will have no affect on the Houthis capacity to launch further attacks
Oct 3, 2022 17 tweets 4 min read
Now the Houthis have rejected the proposal of the @OSE_Yemen to renew the truce in #Yemen, let's take common sense and address the elephant in the room.
The unpleasant truth is that the international community do not want to hear the Yemenis who are effected by the Houthis. Since 2015, diplomats including UN Envoys have spent little time listening and more time preaching.
Yemenis who have dealt with the Houthis and have political experience are rarely heard in international circles.
Oct 1, 2022 15 tweets 4 min read
The Houthis have issued a statement providing justification for not renewing the truce

Read the statement in English here:
saba.ye/en/news3205175…

Why is this important and how can the international community avoid having #Yemen witness a new cycle of violence - The current ceasefire (from April 2022) is the only ceasefire from the beginning of the conflict that has shown some tangible results.
- There has been no airstrikes since April 2022 and the Houthis shelling on #Taiz and #Marib have decreased significantly
Apr 5, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
Sultan Zabin - a senior Houthi commander in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department in Sana’a - passed away today due to COVID-19.

In all my Human Rights work, I have never came across a perpetrator like Zabin. Zabin run a network of operatives targeting female activists opposing the Houthis. He was in charge of unlawful arrest, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, sexual violence, rape, torture and other cruel treatment targeting women.