Houthi militia seizes more than 80 trucks loaded with goods in Al-Salif port in Hodeidah

Transport workers at Hodeidah ports said on Wednesday that the Houthi militia has been holding more than eighty trucks loaded with goods for days and preventing them from heading to the market in areas controlled by the Iran-backed militia.

The sources told "Yemeni Youth Net" that the Houthi militia had seized the commercial trucks (tipper trucks) three days ago and refused to allow them to leave Al-Salif in Al-Hodeidah Governorate, and the merchant who owned the shipment did not move to release them.

According to the sources, a ship belonging to Al-Sanabani unloaded its cargo a few days ago at the port of Al-Salif, and it belongs to a contractor named Abdullah Al-Hashidi. The militia allowed the trucks to enter the port and load, and prevented them from leaving, claiming that the merchant had not paid the full fees to the Quality Authority. The merchant denies this, according to the drivers’ sources.

The Houthi seizure has caused drivers to incur huge losses, as the transportation rent does not exceed 200 Saudi riyals, and they bear the losses of their daily stay in the port at multiples.

Sources say that the detentions are a form of the militia’s exploitation of the ports and pressure on traders and businessmen to pay new taxes, especially before the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan is one of the militia's favorite seasons to force merchants to pay new taxes, double them, or take them out of the consumer season.