Abu Murtah al-Saidi flees Houthi-controlled areas

Abu Murtah al-Saidi, a former Houthi activist and wounded fighter, has successfully fled Houthi-controlled areas after facing alleged assassination attempts and persecution. Al-Saidi gained widespread attention through his repeated use of the phrase ‘I am hungry’ in video recordings to protest the deteriorating economic conditions and food insecurity within the group’s territories.

In a recent video recorded after reaching a safe zone, al-Saidi detailed his experiences, claiming that his criticisms of the living conditions of fighters and loyalists angered Houthi leadership. He stated that he was previously pressured to apologize to Mohammed Muftah, the acting head of the Houthi government, following his public complaints about hunger.

Al-Saidi, who previously assisted the movement in mobilizing citizens and collecting levies, expressed regret for his past involvement, describing his previous efforts to recruit others as contributing to what he termed a ‘march of slavery.’ He also highlighted the stark disparity between the privileges enjoyed by Houthi leaders and the limited resources provided to combatants and supporters.