Ansarullah defies US threat to designate it as “terrorist organisation”

Ansarullah defies US threat to designate it as “terrorist organisation”

Ansarullah spokesman and head of the Sana’a negotiating delegation, Mohammed Abdulsalam, has commented on the US decision to put Ansarullah back on its so-called “terrorist list” after removing the organisation from it in 2021.

“America uses the issue of classifying us as “terrorists” for political purposes,” Mohammed Abdulsalam told Al-Jazeera on Wednesday.

“What we did in the Red Sea is a kind of pressure to stop the aggression on Gaza.”

“The American classification of us as “terrorists” will not deter us from our steadfast position supporting the Palestinians,” he stressed

He added, “There is no effectiveness on the ground for Washington’s decision regarding our classification. The latest American decision will only make us more committed to our position supporting the Palestinians.”

“There are no Iranian supply lines to Yemen,” he elaborated.

Earlier in the day, The United States said it had put  Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, labelled under the name “Houthis” by the US, back on a list of “terrorist entities”, accusing them of repeated attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

“In response to these continuing threats and attacks, the United States announced the designation of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in statement.

Officials said the move means the popular resistance movement will be hit by sanctions.

Senior American officials told Western media that the designation would take effect in 30 days and said that it could be reversed if the Yemenis cease their attacks.