Yemen central bank orders freeze on assets of 135 Houthi-linked individuals and entities

ADEN — Yemen's central bank ordered banks and exchange companies on Tuesday to freeze the accounts and assets of 135 Houthi-linked individuals, entities and vessels placed on terrorism lists, the government-run SABA news agency reported. The central bank is based in Aden.

The directive was issued under an order dated October 19 by the country's public prosecutor. The order called for those listed to be designated and their assets frozen over their alleged ties to the Houthi group, SABA said.

According to SABA, the measures also ban financial and commercial dealings with those listed. This includes opening new bank accounts and carrying out transactions on their behalf. Financial institutions must identify and report the accounts, assets and money transfers of those listed to the country's financial intelligence and anti-money laundering authorities.

SABA said the list includes Houthi political, military and security officials, businessmen, a company and five oil tankers. Yemeni authorities have identified the tankers as smuggling vessels.

The move follows a separate step by the government. On October 11, Yemen's internationally recognised government approved a draft law that would designate the Houthis a "terrorist organisation" and criminalise the group's activities and financing. The government has called for the legal and constitutional procedures needed to enact the law to be completed.

The decision comes amid escalating hostilities between the Houthis and forces aligned with the internationally recognised government. Those forces are backed by the Saudi-led coalition.

It is not clear from the source material how the listed individuals and entities will respond, or how banks will enforce the directive. The report does not say whether the Houthis have commented on the order.

Background

Yemen has been in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north. The internationally recognised government is based in Aden and is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.

The report was published by Anadolu Agency, which cited SABA as its source for the central bank directive. Anadolu Agency gave no further details on the listed names or on the evidence behind the alleged ties to the Houthis.