MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Houthi rebels kidnapped five students from within the Sunni Arhab tribe neighborhood in the Yemen capital Sanaa, the Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.
"Houthi militants took five Arhab University students to an unknown location after having abducted them," the agency quoted a source in the tribe.
The students were kidnapped after organizing a protest against the takeover of their dormitories by the Houthis about two months ago, according to the source.
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God) are a Shiite insurgent group that has seized parts of Yemen, including its capital Sanaa, and organized major anti-government rallies in recent months. The fighters claim their actions are aimed at protecting civilians from terrorism and ending tribal discrimination by the government.
The group launched a crackdown on Arhab tribesmen several weeks ago, accusing them of being connected with al-Qaeda.