Shiite Houthi militant have reportedly broken into a mosque in Yemen's western Al-Hudayda province and abducted a preacher.

"Houthi militants forced their way into the Osman bin Affan mosque on Saturday and abducted its imam," an eyewitness told The Anadolu Agency.

There was no comment from the Shiite Houthi group on the report.
On Friday, Houthi militants reportedly stormed a mosque in the same province and detained its preacher.

Yemen has remained in turmoil since last September, when the Houthis overran capital Sanaa, from which they have since sought to extend their influence to other parts of the fractious country.

Last week, Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a military offensive against Houthi positions across Yemen.

Riyadh says the anti-Houthi campaign comes in response to appeals by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to "save the [Yemeni] people from the Houthi militias."

Gulf States accuse Shiite Iran of supporting Yemen's Houthi insurgency.

PHOTO CAPTION

Houthi fighters and pro-Houthi police troopers fire tear gas on anti-Houthi protesters demonstrating in Yemen's southwestern city of Taiz March 22, 2015.

Worldbulletin