Nobel Peace Prize Winner and human rights activist Tawakkol Karman stressed the need to disband and disarm the Iran-backed Houthi militia as a first step to building a sustainable peace in Yemen.

“Nothing is worse and more terrible for people’s human rights than a fascist armed militia, which takes control of cities and state institutions by force and oppression,” Karman wrote in a post on Facebook on Thursday.   

She emphasized that peace will never be achieved, rights and freedoms won’t be enjoyed and state and nation will not be built unless an end to this militia is put. 

It’s worth mentioning that the Houthi militia backed by forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh invaded Yemen’s capital Sana’a on September 21, 2014. 

In January 2015, the Houthis reinforced their takeover of Sanaa by surrounding the presidential palace and placing President Hadi and his cabinet ministers under house arrest.

The Iran-backed militia allied with ousted president Saleh took over all state institutions, government headquarters including security and military facilities. 

The president escaped to the southern port city of Aden the following month.

Then, the putschists attempted to take control of the entire country, forcing President Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015, who appealed to the neighbouring country to intervene in the conflict in order to end the coup, which in turn formed today's Saudi-led Arab military coalition.