2014 Yemen unrest

The Yemeni protests of 2014  were a series of sit-ins and demonstrations in Yemen which later escalated into armed conflict. The protests began on 18 August as a series of Houthi demonstrations in Sana'a against increased fuel prices. On 21 September, the Houthis took  control of Sana'a, after which Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa resigned and the Houthis signed a deal for a new unity government with other political parties. The protests were marked by clashes between the Houthis and the government and also clashes between the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Background
The protests followed a phase of Houthi expansion culminating in the takeover of `Amran, a provincial capital, by the Houthis on 8 July 2014. The Houthis defeated the 310 Armored Brigade and killed its commander, Hameed Al Koshebi.

However, the immediate trigger for the protests was a fuel price increase of nearly 100% caused by the Yemeni government's 29 July decision to cut subsidies for fuel. In 2013, fuel subsidies cost the Yemeni government $3 billion, almost a third of the state budget. In response to the cuts, Houthis began protesting for a reinstatement of subsidies and a new government.

Events
The first protests occurred on 18 August, when the Houthis set up protest camps in Sana'a. Tens of thousands of people participated in the protests, which soon became violent. On 10 September, seven protesters were shot by security forces, and renewed clashes on 18 September left 40 protesters and members of Sunni militias dead.

On 19 September, rebels attacked Sana'a and by 21 September advanced into the city, capturing the government headquarters. This resulted in a resignation by Prime Minister of Yemen Mohammed Basindawa, who was succeeded by Ahmad Awad Bin Mubarak. The fighting left 123 fighters on both sides dead. The Houthis, along with several other Yemeni political groups, signed a deal entitled the Peace and Partnership Agreement which provided for the formation of a new unity government.

By 22 September, at least 340 people were killed in fighting in Sana'a. Fighting continued even after the signing of the power-sharing agreement.

On 9 October, a suicide bomb tore through Tahrir Square just before a major rally was scheduled to start. The attack killed 47 people and wounded 75, mostly supporters of the Houthis. Government officials believe the attack was perpetrated by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

On 7 November, the United Nations Security Council placed sanctions on former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi commanders, Abdullah Yahya al Hakim and Abd al-Khaliq al-Huthi, for obstructing the Yemeni political process. Saleh's political party, the General People's Congress, stripped President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi of his party positions in response, accusing him of instigating the sanctions.

The new government called for by the Peace and Partnership Agreement was sworn in on 9 November. However, the Houthis and the General People's Congress refused to participate in the new government.