The Seizure of Commercial Planes: A Fresh Crisis in Yemen

Four commercial planes have been in Sanaa International Airport since last week as they cannot take off without the approval of authorities in Sanaa. The planes are owned by Yemenia Airways, which says the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group seized them in violation of all rules.

With the seizure of the four aircraft at Sanaa International Airport, the UN-recognized government and the Houthi group have entered into a new type of dispute, which makes a peaceful solution to the war in Yemen a more complicated task.

The Yemeni government described the Houthi seizure of the planes as "a dangerous escalation" that will further deepen the suffering of citizens and cause the company massive losses.

In a meeting chaired by Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) yesterday,  approved the formation of a government committee headed by the Prime Minister to "manage the crisis and restrict the Houthis' use of hijacked aircraft until further notice". According to the PLC, the Houthi group's seizure of the four aircraft is a "full-fledged terrorist operation".

The Yemeni government has called on the United Nations and the international community to intervene urgently to release the Yemenia Airways planes seized in Sanaa to help the company protect its assets and financial revenues and ensure its continued operation.

However, the Houthi group has said it seized the planes as part of its responsibility to supervise and control Yemen Airways, preserve its resources, and guarantee Yemenis the right to travel abroad without any obstacles or discrimination.

A statement by the Transport Ministry in Sanaa said, "The Saudi-led aggression coalition and its mercenaries have used the Yemenia Airways for political blackmail…and canceled flights to multiple destinations, causing the death of thousands of patients in need of travel to get treatment abroad."

Civilians in Yemen have been happy about the recent reopening of roads in Taiz, Marib and Al-Bayda as well as the increase in flights from Sanaa Airport. However, the seizure of the planes is a "worrying indicator".

Majdi Mohammed, a resident of Sanaa, occasionally travels to Egypt. He called the recent dispute between the Yemeni government and the Houthi group "frustrating". He told Sheba Intelligence, "It is a new cycle of suffering for us, and it is unclear how long this crisis will last. Our happiness about the end of the blockade on Sanaa airport was short-lived. We, civilians, will continue to pay the price."

Yemeni political observers say the seizure of the four commercial planes will deepen the mistrust between the Yemeni government and the Houthi group, which will affect the progress of peace efforts led by the UN and regional mediators.

The civil war in Yemen, which began in 2015, has left colossal damage and destruction in the transport sector, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas.

A report revealed that the losses of the transport sector during nine years of war amounted to over US$13 billion. According to the report, the losses of the air transport sector amounted to nearly US$7 billion. The losses of the maritime sector amounted to more than US$5 and a half billion, and the losses of the land transport sector reached approximately US$1 billion.