The government of Yemen has been accused by American diplomats of diverting U.S. funds for counterterrorism efforts to wage war against northern rebels.

 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) exposed the illegal diversion after reviewing classified State Department cables that were published by WikiLeaks. The human rights group called on the Obama administration to investigate Yemen’s unauthorized use of counter-terrorism assistance and to cease any further aid until the Yemeni government stops its “abusive military campaign” against Houthi rebels.

 

The State Department communiqués reveal diplomats complaining that Yemeni officials had disregarded calls for the diversions to stop. One message stated “The ROYG [government of Yemen], desperate to defeat the Houthis at any cost, has largely ignored USG [U.S. government] concerns regarding deployment of the CTU [counter-terrorism unit] to Sa'ada. The CTU has been unable to go after genuine terrorist targets like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) while it has been tied down in Sa'ada.”

 

HRW says it has documented “numerous possible violations of the laws of war by government as well as rebel forces in the Huthi conflict.”

 

The U.S. has given more than $115 million to Yemen since 2002 to combat terrorism, including monies to support Yemen’s elite Counter-Terrorism Unit.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

US: Investigate Counterterrorism Assistance to Yemen (Human Rights Watch)

Yemen Funneled U.S. Aid to Insurgency War (by William Fisher, Inter Press Service)

All Quiet on the Northern Front? (Human Rights Watch)

Yemen’s Counter Terrorism Unit Stretched Thin by War against Houthis (State Department Cable/WikiLeaks)