Ibb governorate witnessed a new wave of Houthi looting of real estate over the past few days as the group continues to control public and private property.

Informed sources in Ibb reported that Houthi commanders escalated the transgression and organized looting against public and private land and property.

Residents of Ibb complained to Asharq Al-Awsat about continuous robberies and looting by prominent Houthis officials of the Houthi group in the governorate center and about 22 affiliated directorates.

A public works employee in Ibb confirmed that Houthi commanders compete daily to acquire real estate and private and public lands through armed gangs.

“Hardly a day goes by without the residents’ property being looted, assaulted, and confiscated by Houthis officials,” he added.

Residents believed the insurgents’ focus on looting state and citizens’ real estate in Ibb was due to the increase in prices, knowing that Ibb is the tourist capital of Yemen.

Informed sources in Ibb told Asharq Al-Awsat that Houthi commander Mohammed al-Harithi, appointed by the militias as director of the civil status in Ibb, recently embarked with an armed gang to confiscate land belonging to Fadhel al-Aroumi and his family.

The Houthi leader previously attacked a former plot of Aroumi’s house, intending to rob it. The family refused to be dragged into a confrontation and preferred to resort to the judiciary.

The court decided to halt any development on the plot adjacent to the civil status building until its final decision.

Earlier, a group belonging to Houthi commander Abu Murshed robbed a plot of a merchant named Mohammad al-Dais.

Another similar incident was recorded when another Houthi official confiscated a large land of the “al-Seil” in Ibb, extending from Mount Baadan to Wadi al-Sahul.

Notably, the Houthi practices escalated after the visit of Mohammed Ali al-Houthi to Ibb, where he allowed commanders and followers to seize more land and real estate.