On September 21, 2014, the Iran-backed Houthi militias stormed Sana’a and toppled Yemen’s internationally recognized government by force. This date remains engraved in Yemeni memory as a turning point of darkness, when the state, identity, and future were hijacked.

Endless War and Humanitarian Disaster

According to UN reports since the coup:

• Over 377,000 Yemenis have been killed (directly and indirectly).

• More than 4 million displaced.

• Around 80% of the population needs humanitarian aid.

• In Houthi-controlled areas, poverty exceeds 78%.

Child Recruitment – A War on Innocence

The Houthis forcibly recruited more than 35,000 children, indoctrinating them with Iranian-style “Wilayah” ideology and sending many to frontlines where thousands were killed.

Suppression, Arrests, and Assassinations

• Over 18,000 detainees remain in Houthi prisons.

• Women have been arrested, tortured, and humiliated, breaking Yemeni social taboos.

• Hundreds of military and political leaders were assassinated or forcibly disappeared.

Homes and Mosques Blown Up

• More than 900 houses demolished or seized.

• Around 100 mosques and Quran centers destroyed or converted into ideological hubs.

• Universities and schools forced into sectarian curricula.

Economic Collapse and Starvation Policy

Since 2016, Houthis stopped paying public salaries. Meanwhile:

• They collected billions in illegal levies.

• They imposed heavy taxes under religious pretexts like Mawlid, Ghadir Day, Ashura.

National Identity Under Siege

The Houthis imposed sectarian slogans, rituals, and ideology to reshape Yemeni culture in Iran’s image, threatening the country’s social fabric.

Conclusion

The September 21 coup was not only a political power grab but a destructive blow to Yemen’s identity, state, and future. Yet resistance continues, with Marib, Taiz, and Shabwa standing firm as symbols of the republican struggle.