The province of Ibb, once known for its stability and large population, has become a stark example of security breakdown and escalating violations under Houthi militia control, as residents live under constant fear.
While the militia tightens its security grip and increases its armed presence, crimes such as murder, looting, robbery, and property damage are on the rise. Accusations are mounting against Houthi elements and leaders for direct or indirect involvement in fueling the province's chaos, or at least for their failure to stop it and hold perpetrators accountable.
In recent months, Ibb residents have faced dual threats: the growing activity of armed gangs targeting homes and private property, and the repressive practices of the militia against citizens under various security pretexts. This situation reflects the extent of deterioration within the province.
Activists state that the militia, which promised security and stability upon taking control, has failed to provide minimal protection for citizens. Instead, it has expanded its repressive tools and restricted public life, leaving the province hostage to an armed authority that enforces its influence by force without establishing institutions capable of protecting society or imposing the law.
The recent incident of two residential homes being stormed in a neighborhood near the National University exemplifies this volatile reality. Dozens of heavily armed Houthi elements surrounded the housing complex for hours before raiding the homes, causing widespread panic among residents without providing any legal justifications.
This incident occurs amid increasing public complaints about the proliferation of armed gangs in several districts, including Al-Makhader and As-Sabrah. Homes are frequently targeted with gunfire, and private property is attacked. Local accusations suggest connections and overlapping interests between these gangs and influential figures within the group, deepening citizens' sense of injustice and eroding trust in any declared security measures.
The suffering of Ibb residents is not limited to security breakdowns but extends to their daily lives. The militia has recently imposed new restrictions on wedding processions and social event photo shoots, a move residents view as an extension of the ongoing policy of restricting public freedoms and attempting to impose guardianship over society. Local testimonies indicate that traffic control elements have stopped numerous wedding processions and detained vehicles and relatives of the grooms, demanding money for their release—practices described by citizens as a new form of organized extortion affecting even private social occasions.
Observers assert that what Ibb is currently experiencing goes beyond isolated incidents or transient security disturbances. It reflects a deeper crisis related to the Houthi administration of the province, where the authority of arms intersects with informal influence and armed gangs, while ordinary citizens bear the sole cost of this reality in terms of their security, stability, and fundamental rights. With no indicators of genuine solutions, fears are mounting that Ibb could become an open arena for further chaos and violations, as residents continue to demand an end to repeated attacks, accountability for those involved in crimes, and a halt to the lawlessness that now threatens social cohesion in one of Yemen's most populous provinces.
