Aden – Merchants across Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen have voiced growing frustration over what they describe as coercive campaigns by the Houthi militia to extract financial levies in the lead-up to Ashura commemorations. Local sources report that armed Houthi operatives have launched field raids targeting marketplaces, pressuring traders to contribute funds allegedly earmarked for religious events and logistical support.

According to eyewitness accounts from Ibb and Dhamar governorates, the campaigns have included forced closures of shops, confiscation of goods, and arrests of vendors who refused to comply with the imposed payments. Traders say the levies—often framed as “support for cultural activities”—are neither standardized nor legally sanctioned, and are exacerbating an already dire economic climate.

“These are not voluntary contributions. They are extortion,” said one merchant in Sanaa, speaking on condition of anonymity. “If you refuse, they accuse you of opposing the faith or the revolution. Then your shop is shut down, or worse.”

The timing of the campaigns has drawn criticism from civil society groups, who argue that the militia is exploiting religious occasions to tighten its grip on the private sector and generate revenue. Ashura, a significant date in the Shiite calendar, has increasingly become a focal point for political messaging and public mobilization in Houthi-held areas.