Giants Brigades spearhead anti-Houthi offensive near Bab al-Mandeb in Yemen
Southern Giants Brigades and Yemeni government troops launched an offensive against the Houthis near Bab al-Mandeb on 5 October. Coverage differs on the brigades' character and on whether they are a separatist force.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1On 5 October, groups linked to the former Southern Transitional Council (STC), including the Southern Giants Brigades, and troops of Yemen's internationally recognised government launched a major offensive against the Houthis near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, according to Al Jazeera. Al JazeeraLC “On October 5, groups linked to the former Southern Transitional Council (STC), including the powerful Southern Giants Brigades, and troops of the internationally recognised government of Yemen, launched a major offensive against the Houthis near the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb strait.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1The offensive is part of a nationwide campaign to drive the Iran-linked Houthis out of territory they hold, including a coastal region they seized in September. Al JazeeraLC “including the vital coastline region seized by the Iran-linked group in September.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1The pro-government force, led by the Giants Brigade, said it had cut the main road between the Red Sea port of Mocha and Bab al-Mandeb, which Al Jazeera described as one of the anti-Houthi side's first major gains in years. Al JazeeraLC “they had managed to cut off the main road linking the Red Sea port city of Mocha with the Bab al-Mandeb” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Left · 1The brigades are commanded by Abd al-Rahman Abu Zaraa al-Muharrami, a Salafi and member of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council since April 2022. They formed largely from Salafi fighters in Aden in 2015 and are believed to have been armed, trained and funded by the UAE. Al JazeeraLC “The force is commanded by Abd al-Rahman Abu Zaraa al-Muharrami, a Salafi who studied at the ultraconservative Dammaj religious school”“The brigades, believed to have been armed, trained and funded by the UAE” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Right · 1The Irish Independent describes the force as a feared, hardline Salafist army and says it has been seen driving vehicles over surrendering men, and that the war exposes a deep rift in a Middle East alliance. These claims come from the paper's headline and standfirst; Al Jazeera's account does not mention them. Irish IndependentRC “Hardline Salafist army seen driving vehicles over surrendering men as war exposes deep rift in Middle East alliance” Read at Irish Independent ↗ Left · 1The collaboration follows a January clash in which Saudi-aligned government forces defeated the UAE-backed STC, after which al-Muharrami flew to Riyadh and backed the Saudi-led initiative to unify southern forces. Al JazeeraLC “Saudi-aligned Yemeni government forces defeated the United Arab Emirates-backed STC”“al-Muharrami flew to Riyadh and voiced support for the Saudi-led initiative to unify southern forces” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Left · 1Whether the brigades are separatist is contested. Aden Al-Ghad editor Fathi bin Lazraq, a critic of southern separatists, says they fight as part of the legitimate government forces. Al Jazeera notes that some fighters raised the former South Yemen flag, and STC spokesperson Anwar al-Tamimi calls them a southern force that carries the south's flag. Al JazeeraLC ““They do not fight as ‘Southern forces’ per se, but rather as part of the legitimate government forces backed by the [Saudi-led] coalition,””“Some of their fighters taking part in the offensive around Bab al-Mandeb have raised the former South Yemen flag”“The Giants Brigades are a southern force; they carry the flag and banner of the south” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi, who has not appeared publicly since January, said on X that the south would not let its forces' victories be stolen under slogans that do not reflect its reality. Al JazeeraLC ““The South will not allow the victories of its armed forces to be stolen under slogans that do not reflect its reality,” al-Zubaidi said on X.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Al Jazeera presents a political explainer on the Giants Brigades leading the southern fightback and on the tension between southern separatism and loyalty to the government.
- Emphasis
- Military gains, the brigades' history since 2015, command and funding, and competing views on separatism.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the allegation of vehicles driven over surrendering men reported by the Irish Independent.
- Charged language
- “fightback”“formidable military forces”
- For example
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“Yemen's Southern Giants Brigades have emerged as one of the leading forces against the Houthis.” — Al Jazeera
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Independent frames the force as feared and hardline, with an alleged atrocity and a rift in the regional alliance.
- Emphasis
- Brutality allegations and strains within the Middle East alliance.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The headline and standfirst give no detail on the offensive's gains or the brigades' political status.
- Charged language
- “Feared”“Hardline Salafist army”
- For example
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“Feared ‘Southern Giants Brigade’ militia is cutting edge in push against Houthis in Yemen” — Irish Independent
What every side reports
- The Southern Giants Brigade(s) are among the leading forces fighting the Houthis in Yemen.
- The brigades are a Salafist-rooted force.
Where accounts differ
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Character of the Giants Brigades
- Left
- Al Jazeera presents them as a formidable force whose role tests their allegiance, with sources split on whether they are separatist or national.
- Right
- The Irish Independent presents them as a feared, hardline Salafist militia accused of driving vehicles over surrendering men.
Southern Giants Brigade organisation
Al Jazeera shows the brigades' commander backing Saudi-led unification of southern forces, while the STC spokesperson says they are a southern force carrying the south's flag.
“The Giants Brigades are a southern force; they carry the flag and banner of the south” — Al Jazeera
Houthis organisation
Described as an Iran-linked group that seized coastline in September and is the target of the offensive; no Houthi statement is reported.
“the Iran-linked group in September” — Al Jazeera
Middle East1 outlet
Al Jazeera focuses on the military gains and internal southern politics.
“It also highlighted the effectiveness of anti-Houthi forces – which include units with contrasting political goals – when working together.” — Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Irish Independent stresses the force's feared reputation and the alliance rift.
“war exposes deep rift in Middle East alliance” — Irish Independent
Irish Independent
Left1 article
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Giants Brigades lead southern Yemen fightback against the Houthis
Neutral Explains the brigades' rise and the debate over their separatist or national allegiance, using named sources.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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Feared ‘Southern Giants Brigade’ militia is cutting edge in push against Houthis in Yemen
Alarmist Highlights the force's reputed ferocity and an alleged atrocity, and a rift in the alliance.
- 10 Oct 05:30 First Irish IndependentRC Feared ‘Southern Giants Brigade’ militia is cutting edge in push against Houthis in Yemen
- 12 Oct 12:30 +55h 1m Al JazeeraLC Giants Brigades lead southern Yemen fightback against the Houthis
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.