At a time when Yemen is striving to restore its state and rebuild its political, military, and security institutions, organized campaigns have escalated accusing the Yemeni Islah Party of involvement in terrorism. Yet facts on the ground confirm that the party has been among the most affected by violence and assassinations over the past decade.

These campaigns, led by external-backed actors, reappear whenever the state takes steps toward recovery, and are viewed as attempts to confuse the national scene and use the terrorism file as a tool for political liquidation rather than as a legal and security issue.

From Media Defamation to Physical Targeting

Pressure on Islah has not been limited to media distortion; it extended to assassinations, bombings, raids, and arrests targeting its leaders, clerics, and activists in Aden, Taiz, Dhamar, and Ibb. Observers say this reflects the magnitude of threats facing civil political forces in Yemen.

In official statements, the party rejected the “political use of terrorism,” stressing that the accusations lack legal evidence and contradict the reality that Islah has been a direct victim of various forms of terror.

Contradiction Between Reality and Allegations

In Houthi-controlled areas, Islah members faced detention and persecution, while in some liberated cities they were subjected to systematic liquidation. Nevertheless, it is now portrayed as a suspect, a paradox that contradicts political and legal realities.

Experts warn that the culture of impunity has encouraged repeated political killings and turned cities into arenas of revenge.

Political Terror Threatens the State Project

Analysts consider the campaigns against Islah a form of “political terrorism,” using violence and incitement to exclude civil rivals and reshape the scene in favor of de facto forces.

Continuing this approach will undermine any chance to build a modern pluralistic state and reproduce militia logic.

Vision to Confront Extremism

Islah affirms it was among the first parties to reject terrorism in all its forms and calls for a comprehensive strategy combining security, intellectual, social, and economic dimensions, with dialogue as an alternative to violence.

The party welcomed regional initiatives, especially the Islamic Coalition led by Saudi Arabia, emphasizing collective responsibility in confronting extremism.

National Partnership, Not Exclusion

Islah stresses that combating terrorism must be under state institutions and broad national partnership, warning against using the file for political blackmail.

Observers conclude that, with its wide social base and moderate discourse, Islah remains a key element of stability, and targeting it only weakens Yemen’s state-building project.