Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday (December 7th) it was concerned that Yemen's Houthis (Ansarallah) were carrying out "abusive practices" against former allies -- loyalists of slain ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh -- and civilians.
The Houthis gunned down Saleh on Monday, and the Iran-backed militia has since consolidated its grip on Sanaa, AFP reported.
"The Houthis should remember that the killing of Ali Abdullah Saleh does not negate their obligations under international law, nor to civilians in areas under their control," HRW's Yemen researcher Kristine Beckerle said.
Beckerle said the actions of the Houthis fit a pattern -- documented by HRW since the group took over Sanaa in 2014 -- of arbitrary detentions and forcible disappearances against critical voices, notably activists and journalists.
"Troubling reports from Sanaa over the last few days indicate the Houthis are again engaging in these abusive practices," she said.
Members of Saleh's General People’s Congress said the Houthis have rounded up hundreds of suspected loyalists, including his family members.
Reports of summary executions could not immediately be confirmed.
Tribal chiefs in at least four provinces have been summoned to pledge allegiance to the Houthis, and the crackdown also has targeted local journalists.
