Yemen: Household gas crisis doubles the suffering of the people in Houthi controlled-areas
The areas under the control of the Houthis are witnessing a acute household gas crisis for the second month in a row, amid accusations of the Houthis of fabricating the crisis.
Local sources told Khabar Agency that the Houthis have suspended distributing household gas to citizens in large neighborhoods of the capital, Sana'a, noting that the price of a gas cylinder in the black markets has reached YR24,000 ($41).
Residents of the capital, Sana'a, complain of the difficulty of obtaining gas cylinders over the past weeks due to their almost complete absence at the neighborhood Chief. In some residential neighborhoods, the citizen waits for a gas cylinder that is delivered to the neighborhood chief for long days until he is given one cylinder, which is not enough for a week.
Residents said that some well-to-do citizens resorted to buying them from the black market at its high price, but most of the citizens are forced to sleep for several nights in front of some gas stations upon hearing news of the imminent arrival of a tanker loaded with gas to fill their tanks, so that they may obtain a cylinder at its official price.
The domestic gas crisis coincides with a similar manufactured crisis in fuel by the Houthis, as the prices of a 20-liter oil canister in Houthi-controlled areas amounted to about YR40,000 ($70), the highest in its history, which was negatively reflected and caused an increase in prices, basic foodstuffs and transportation costs in the areas under the control of the militia.
Since their takeover of the capital, Sanaa and several areas, the Iran-backed Houthis have deliberately created successive crises in household gas and oil derivatives, with the aim of making way for the black markets, which bring their leaders huge sums of money and fantastic profits.