Yemen is in the grip of its most severe crisis in years, as competing forces fight for control of the country.
Impoverished but strategically important, the tussle for power in Yemen has serious implications for the region and the security of the West.
Here are some key questions explained. Who is fighting whom? In recent months Yemen has descended into conflicts between several different groups, pushing the country “to the edge of civil war”, according to the UN’s special adviser. The main fight is between forces loyal to the beleaguered President, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and those allied to Zaidi Shia rebels known as Houthis, who forced Mr Hadi to flee the capital Sanaa in February2015 .
Yemen’s security forces have split loyalties, with some units backing Mr Hadi, and others the Houthis and Mr Hadi’s predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has remained politically influential. Mr Hadi is also supported in the predominantly Sunni south of the country by militia known as Popular Resistance Committees and local tribesmen.
Both President Hadi and the Houthis are opposed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has staged numerous deadly attacks from its strongholds in the south and south-east.
The picture is further complicated by the emergence in late 2014 of a Yemen affiliate of the jihadist group Islamic State, which seeks to eclipse AQAP and claims it carried out a series of suicide bombings in Sanaa in March 2015.
After rebel forces closed in on the president’s southern stronghold of Aden in late March, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia responded to a request by Mr Hadi to intervene and launched air strikes on Houthi targets. The coalition comprises five Gulf Arab states and Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan.
What happens in Yemen can greatly exacerbate regional tensions. It also worries the West because of the threat of attacks emanating from the country as it becomes more unstable.
Western intelligence agencies consider AQAP the most dangerous branch of al-Qaeda because of its technical expertise and global reach. The US has been carrying out operations, including drone strikes, against AQAP in Yemen with President Hadi’s co-operation, but the Houthis’ advance has meant the US campaign has been scaled back.
The conflict between the Houthis and the elected government is also seen as part of a regional power struggle between Shia-ruled Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, which shares a long border with Yemen.
Gulf Arab states have accused Iran of backing the Houthis financially and militarily, though Iran has denied this, and they are themselves backers of President Hadi.
Yemen is strategically important because it sits on the Bab al-Mandab strait, a narrow waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, through which much of the world’s oil shipments pass. Egypt and Saudi Arabia fear a Houthi takeoverwould threaten free passage through the strait.
In short, after months of tightening their hold, the Houthis have formally seized power. In January, the group said it would dissolve parliament and announced plans for a new interim assembly and five-member presidential council, which would rule for up to two years.
The move filled a political vacuum which had existed since President Hadi, the prime minister and cabinet resigned earlier that month after the Houthis placed President Hadi under house arrest and detained other leading figures.
But the Houthis are minority Shia from the north, and their declaration has not been recognised by Sunni tribesmen and southern leaders, threatening Yemen with a further descent into chaos.
President Hadi, who is recognised as Yemen’s legitimate leader by the international community, managed to escape to Aden, which he declared the de facto capital.
Let us see the Foundation chart of Yemen 22 nd May 1990 09-00am GMT
The country is under the reel of Dasha of Sun-Rahu-Saturn since 27th Jan 2015 and then Sun-Rahu-Mercury from 20-3-2015. If you look at the Chart it is evident that the 2 Eclipses on the 20th March and 4th April 2015 are taking Place in the 2/8 axis of the chart and in 1/7 axis of the 10th Lord Venus Placed in the 8th house exhalted . Mars placement in the 7th house is evident from the Prevailing conditions the country is going through .
Also see the eclipse chart of 4th April 2015
As Per K N Rao a paper Produced by him GLIMMER OF HOPE IN A STRIFE TORN WORLD in Oct. 2010 in a Cultrul Meet on the divine occassion of Sri Satguru Sivananda Murtiji turnign 82. . It says Placement of mars in the horoscope of nations would decide the War mongering tendencies , either getting involved directly or indirectly , MARS attributes these tendencies in the 3, 6, 7 and the 12th house of the nation. It can also happen if Mars aspects these houses or the house Lords . Now looking at the horoscope of Yemen , mars is placed in the 7th house aspects the 10th house where Sun Lagna Lord is Placed , Mars also aspects the Lagna . Mars in this chart is placed in the 7th house of War. Mars aspecting the Lagna and Lagna Lord Sun in the 10th house shows Trouble ridden history of the Past and even the future. The Present Dasha is Sun- Rahu. Sun is connected to Mars from the house of war . Rahu is Placed in the 6th house with 6th and 7th Lord Saturn . The Dasha therefore Sun Rahu-Saturn was most crucial for the happenings in the country from27th Jan 2015. Another research made by is is the Transit of a malefic on the 8th house /8th Lord/Navamsha sign of 8th Lord /8th house of Navamsha or over the 8th Lord of Navamsha then malefic happenings take place specially with higher magnitude if the Eclipse is also taking place over these houses.
Now as per the foundation chart Eclipse of 20th March and 4th April 2015 are fallling over the 2/8 axis and also over the navamsha sign and Lord of the 8th house which is Pieces and the 8th Lord is also placed in Pieces navamsha, clearly shows the Multiple affiction on Pieces sign of the Foundation chart as well as the Navamsha sign, making the conditions of the country precarious, specially when the Dasha is also Related to the Planets connected to the 7th house and Mars. Mars was also in Transit in Pieces till 23th March 2015 aggravating the situations . Now the sub sub dasha is of Mercury who is the Lord of the 2nd and 11th placed in the 9th house and in Transit Mercury is also Transitting in the 8th house and is totally eclipsed on the 4th April 2015, making the situations very grim. > I dont hing there could be any relief to the country till Sun-Rahu Dasha till 15th Sept. 2015 could further take the country to a total asylum . there does not seem to be any respite till Jupiter transits in Lagna on the 17th June 2015. in a nut shell the country is going through hell and nothing may be resolved to bring Peace in the country .
Jyotish Acharaya anil aggarwala 31st March 2015
