US removal of Houthi terror designation may heighten Yemeni Christian persecution: Open Doors
by Emily Wood, Christian Post:
The U.S. government’s decision to remove the terror designation from the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis could lead to heightened Christian persecution, according to the head of a prominent international Christian human rights organization.
After the Biden administration removed the Houthi organization, known as Ansar Allah, from the list of foreign terrorist organizations early last month, two Saudi-influenced newspapers reported Yemen’s Houthi militia is threatening Christians with extended detainment.
David Curry, the president of the Christian persecution watchdog organization Open Doors USA, told The Christian Post in a recent interview that removing the terror designation applied by the Trump administration in 2018 is a “mistake” that will only “embolden” Houthi militia.
“What we are seeing now is what would amount to an escalation,” Curry, whose organization monitors persecution in over 60 countries, explained. “It sets a legitimacy to the Houthis that they have the right to do this. We gravely disagree with that.”
The State Department released a statement on Feb. 7 condemning the Houthis and called them to “immediately cease attacks impacting civilian areas” and “halt any new military offenses inside Yemen.” On Saturday, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a missile attack over its capital city and bomb-laden drones that it blamed on Houthi rebels.
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