Security Official in Marib: A Comprehensive 4-System Strategy Behind the Capture of Houthi Cells
Yemen Monitor / Marib / Exclusive:
Security agencies in Marib province have revealed new details concerning the thwarting of what they described as terrorist plots by the armed Houthi group, which aimed to assassinate security and military leaders and plant explosive devices in vital installations.
Brigadier General Najib Al-Nasser, Assistant Director of Marib Province Police, stated that recent security successes in Marib were based on an integrated strategy relying on four interconnected systems: intelligence work, field operations, disciplined institutional work, and community cooperation. This synergy has enabled security agencies to achieve preemptive strikes before crimes reach the execution stage.
Brig. Gen. Al-Nasser, in an interview with Al Arabiya television monitored by “Yemen Monitor,” indicated that after the cell led by “Ahmed Musleh Qutran” was dismantled, the Houthi group quickly attempted to push another person to replace him and lead sabotage operations. However, precise surveillance enabled security forces to identify the new commander and apprehend him along with all the tools and means in his possession.
Al-Nasser clarified that what was revealed to the public in the documentary “Sleeping with One Eye Open” represents only about 10% of the facts and operations accomplished by the security agencies, confirming that many details remain undisclosed for the safety of ongoing investigations.
Regarding the nature of the tasks assigned to these cells, the spokesperson for Marib security confirmed they primarily focused on: assassinating prominent security and military leaders in the province, planting explosive devices in government headquarters and public roads, and targeting public tranquility and destabilizing liberated areas.
In a related context, Brig. Gen. Al-Nasser warned of three main threats facing Marib, foremost being Houthi terrorist activity, followed by the danger of drug trafficking, which the militia uses to flood Yemen and neighboring countries. He also highlighted the Houthi exploitation of illegal African migrants, recruiting them to carry out terrorist acts and target leaders, taking advantage of their humanitarian situation.
Marib province, the main stronghold of government forces, is a constant target for Houthi infiltration attempts, not only through military confrontations on the fronts but also through “spy wars” and sleeper cells. The strategic importance of these security successes lies in securing supply lines and protecting the large displaced population hosted by Marib, making its security stability a fundamental pillar for the stability of the military fronts in Marib, Shabwa, and Al-Jawf.
