Houthi rebels summer indoctrination camps are a catastrophic project that’s been ongoing for a decade according to Fatima Alasrar
Alasrar, a senior analyst at the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies, posted on X, “Boys as young as 7 are taught war slogans, political loyalty, and martyrdom. A generation now molded by a dangerous ideology that rejects peace”
She described those summer camps as “Yemen’s real disaster”, adding “A year ago, anyone sharing scenes like this to criticize the group would’ve been accused of spreading propaganda. Today, the Houthis are proud to show it off”.
Alasrar thought that “The footage comes straight from Houthi media as part of a broader strategy to project strength within Iran’s regional axis. It’s a bid for ideological legitimacy and leadership in the so-called Axis of Resistance front”.
In the video report posted by a Houthi television channel, young children who appear to be between age 9 and 12, are seen marching in formation and holding images of the Houthi leader. In another part of the video, a room full of armed men is seen apparently celebrating the children “completing” their courses.
In a video posted on May 28, the Houthis also claim that 6,000 people graduated from “al-Aqsa flood courses” in Hajjah governorate.
The summer camps for children appear to be held most years in April and stretch into May. This isn’t exactly summer, it’s more like spring. Reports in 2024 noted that Abdul Malik al-Houthi had praised these camps.
It is believed that hundreds of thousands of children and teens under age 18 attend these camps every year. Clearly, some of the kids will go through multiple times.
In June 2024, the Middle East Media Research Institute described a graduation event for 4,000 students from 16 schools. The youths, “showcased their combat skills, which included simulated rifle exercises and military stepping”.