Zeynabiat: The Houthi Women's Brigade and Their Role in Social Control and Security in Yemen
Zeynabiat, one of the most mysterious and ruthless factions of the Houthi militia, plays a crucial role in Yemen’s social structure and security apparatus. This female armed group serves as a tool for ideological enforcement, surveillance, and suppression, particularly in a society where women traditionally had little involvement in security matters.
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In the hidden corners of Yemen, Zeynabiat stands as one of the most mysterious and brutal arms of the Houthi militia. This female force is primarily tasked with societal control, repression, and ideological indoctrination, operating within a social structure where women traditionally had limited security-related roles.
The Zeynabiat brigade is composed of thousands of women and girls, mostly from marginalized communities, particularly those of African descent. They are recruited and trained by experts from Iran's Revolutionary Guard in Yemen, with some also receiving additional training in Lebanon and Iran. This brigade was initially formed in Sa'da over a decade ago, where it participated in the six wars fought by the Houthis against the Yemeni state. However, their role expanded dramatically after the militia took control of Sana’a in 2014.
The Zeynabiat brigade is divided into four specialized units: military, electronic, detention, and preventive espionage. Each unit is overseen by the wives and relatives of senior Houthi leaders. The espionage unit is considered the most dangerous, as it operates covertly within female gatherings—spaces men typically cannot infiltrate—to gather intelligence and spy on adversaries. This provides the Houthis with unprecedented social leverage.
The activities of the Zeynabiat are not limited to security functions. They have been involved in raiding mosques, recruiting women and children, organizing ideological lectures to glorify the group, and imposing its ideology by force. They have also been implicated in raiding graduation ceremonies, breaking up mixed-gender gatherings, and pursuing and imprisoning activists in secret jail
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