Yemen's tribes will gain power from Huthi conflict

Significance

Yemen's tribes have played a powerful role in the country's post-2011 uprising conflicts. Their withdrawal of support from former President Ali Abdallah Saleh fuelled the protests and the split in the military that led to his overthrow in November 2011. In the current conflict, as a Saudi-led military coalition seeks to defeat Huthi rebels and reinstate the Hadi government in the capital, all sides are seeking to mobilise Yemen's tribes to support them.

Impacts

• The Saudi-led coalition will be unable to go ahead with a military offensive on Sana'a without tribal support.
• Tribes will remain strong so long as the central state remains weak.
• Without a substantial rise in living standards, jihadist groups will continue to attract recruits among tribes and other Yemenis.