What are the different groups in the Yemeni Civil War?

Answer 1

There are three main groups in the current Yemeni Civil War.

1) Houthis: The Houthis are a Zaydi Shiite militant group who espouse a strong Jihadist perspective. They believe in the rigid implementation of Shiite Islamic Law and wantonly murder Sunni Muslims that they come into contact with. They have taken most of former North Yemen, including the capital of Sana'a, where Zaydis form a large majority. They are currently trying to extend their control to the south and east towards the port city of Aden. The Houthis are receiving arms and training from the Iranian government, who see a Shiite state in the Arabian Peninsula as a desirable ally. The Houthis have a strong Anti-US, Anti-Israel, and Anti-Semitic platform, which has resulted in the final departure of Yemen's Jewish population.

2) Aden Government: This is the successor to the unified Yemeni government in 2011. It is majority Sunni and has broad support in former South Yemen, which is a Sunni majority government. The Aden government is ostensibly secular, but has strong sectarian influence. Given the appearance that President al-Hadi is weak, the government has been pounded by the Houthis, who forced them out of the northern highlands and by the Ansar al-Sharia in the eastern rural territories. The Aden Government is seen as the most sympathetic to Western interests, because of the relationship that President Saleh, al-Hadi's predecessor, had with the West in the War on Terror. Saudi Arabia is also an ally of the Aden Government and has been bombing the Houthi-controlled areas relentlessly.

3) Ansar al-Shari'a: This is the successor of the al-Qaeda insurgency that plagued Yemen before 2011. With the upheaval caused by President Saleh's overthrow, they were able to become more extensive and more powerful. Ansar al-Shari'a is a Jihadist group intending to rigidly implement Sunni Islamic Law. Some members of Ansar al-Shari'a have argued that the group is loyal to Islamic State. They will kill any who disagree with them, regardless of religion, but Shiites are guaranteed targets.