Houthi Attempts to Turn Sana'a's Historic Halka Market into a Shia Religious Site: A Threat to Cultural Heritage

The Houthi militia has begun organizing religious events at Halka Market and the Grand Mosque in the old city of Sana'a, marking what they claim is the anniversary of the arrival of Hadi al-Tabtabai in Yemen, which they assert coincides with a Friday in the month of Rajab. According to local sources, large crowds of Houthis, adhering to the Twelver Shia sect, gathered at Halka Market, aiming to transform the area into a religious site similar to Qom and Najaf in the Arabian Peninsula.

The sources also revealed that the Houthis have been spreading distorted historical narratives, claiming that Imam Ali bin Abi Talib arrived in Yemen through Halka Market, ignoring the historical fact that Islam was spread by the Yemeni Ansar. Historical records confirm that Imam Ali only reached Hemdan, near the borders of Najran, and never visited the market.

Meanwhile, UNESCO has issued warnings about the potential destruction of Sana'a's Old City, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, due to Houthi plans to demolish parts of the city’s historical markets to build a religious shrine dedicated to Imam Ali bin Abi Talib. The international organization expressed concerns about the threat to the city’s cultural identity.

Reports also revealed Houthi efforts to establish a religious shrine in the Old City of Sana'a, built on the ruins of ancient markets, some of which date back thousands of years. The Houthi Authority for Endowments reportedly tried to convince local shop owners in Halka Market to sell their stores in exchange for compensation, but most of them rejected the offer.

In a rare admission, the Minister of Culture in the Houthi government, Abdullah al-Kubsi, acknowledged the militia’s plans to demolish parts of Sana'a's historical markets to turn them into Shia pilgrimage sites. Despite these plans, he claimed that his ministry was committed to preserving Sana'a’s cultural heritage, citing ongoing projects to safeguard the city's historical sites.