Canada designates Ansar Allah as 'terrorist' over anti-'Israel' ops
2 Min Read
A statement by the Canadian government highlights Ansar Allah's involvement in operations against the Israeli occupation entity.
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Thousands of Yemenis raise Hezbollah flags and posters of late leader martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during a rally to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the war on the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Monday, October 7, 2024. (AP)
Canada has designated the Ansar Allah movement, known as Yemen's popular resistance, as a "terrorist entity", citing its operations against "Israel" and other activities.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the designation on Monday, stating that it “contributes to our efforts in fighting terrorism globally and aligning Canada with our allies.”
LeBlanc accused the Resistance group of engaging in "acts of violent extremism and terrorism" and emphasized that Canada would continue to take steps "to curtail the spread of these activities internationally and to counter threats to Canada, its citizens, and its interests around the world.”
The Canadian government also issued a statement describing Ansar Allah as a "militant group" involved in "acts of insurgency" since the early 2000s.
It claimed the movement sought to overthrow Yemen's former leadership, including ex-president Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi, who resigned in 2014 amid political unrest and later fled to Saudi Arabia.
The statement highlighted Ansar Allah's involvement in operations against the Israeli occupation entity, including attacks on Israeli ships and vessels transporting supplies to "Israel" in response to its war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 44,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023.
Additionally, Ottawa accused Ansar Allah of maintaining ties with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah.
Both the IRGC and Hezbollah, already designated as "terrorist entities" by Canada, have denied hierarchical relationships, asserting that anti-terror and Resistance movements in the region operate independently.
Despite their contributions to combating terrorism in the region, both groups remain under Canada's "terrorism" designations.
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