Arabian peninsula nation Yemen in state of political chaos



In 1990, Yemen, a Middle Eastern country which borders the Arabian Peninsula was created after North Yemen and South Yemen unified.  In 2009, government troops battled against the Houthis – a Yemeni Shi’ite rebel group.  The fighting left hundreds dead and led to more than 250,000 refugees.  In 2011, then-President Ali Abdallah Saleh resigned after political pressure from the Arab Spring movement taking place in the Middle East.  

In 2014, a civil war broke out in Yemen – which is the poorest country in the Arab world.  The fighting has caused Yemen to be a base for militant groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS.  In February 2015, Shi’ite rebels dismantled the U.S. backed government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.  Currently, Yemen is in a state of political chaos.    

At least 10 countries have joined forces to fight against the rebels.  The United States military is providing air strikes, intelligence, logistical support, and a small number of troops to assist the Yemeni government against Al-Qaeda and ISIS.  Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen to the north, has formed a coalition of countries including: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Senegal, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to defeat the Houthis.     

As of January 2016, 2,800 civilians had been killed in the most recent conflict in Yemen.  The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that 2.4 million Yemenis have left their homes to find safety in other parts of Yemen or in other countries.

Facts about Republic of Yemen:
Population: 26,737,317 (July 2015 est.)
Capital: Sanaa
Area: 207,286 sq. miles (slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming)
Major language: Arabic
Major religion: Islam

Sources:
“Key facts about the war in Yemen.” http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/key-facts-war-yemen
“Strike in Yemen kills dozens at refugee camp,” Washington Post. Ali al-Mujahed, March 31, 2015.
www.bbc.com


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