Cairo, Egypt – The ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen, specifically the Islah Party, based in Türkiye, have witnessed a wave of confusion and organized defections. This coincided with increasing Turkish pressure on their media outlets.
Researcher Maher Farghali, an expert on Islamist movements, revealed on the “X” platform a significant and dangerous political development concerning the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood (the Islah Party). The developments indicate that the leaders who fled Turkey have begun direct and indirect negotiations with Iranian parties, as well as with their allies, most notably Hezbollah. This is seen as a prelude to a potential “reconciliation” with the Houthis and a return to Sana’a.
Hezbollah’s secret meeting: The price of returning is abandoning confrontation.
This file is the most important focal point in the current “Muslim Brotherhood” crisis, after the state of flight and confusion that afflicted them as a result of Turkish measures against them.
Who met with whom? Farghali said that prominent Muslim Brotherhood leader and businessman Hamid al-Ahmar, who recently moved his family from Turkey to Albania, visited Lebanon this month. There he met with leaders from Hezbollah.
This meeting took place with the approval and coordination of senior Islah Party leaders based in Türkiye and Qatar, including Sheikh al-Daba’i, who is responsible for the group’s ongoing coordination, as well as its investments with al-Ahmar and others.
Farghali stated that the discussions focused on the return of some Islah Party leaders to Sana’a, in exchange for the Muslim Brotherhood’s commitment not to confront or obstruct any Houthi movements in areas under the group’s control. This represents a complete reversal of their previous positions.
Negotiations come amid an exodus from the “Turkish refuge”
These negotiations come after researcher Maher Farghali confirmed that Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Turkey are in a state of disarray. They have begun leaving the country, especially after Turkish measures that included closing the Belqees TV channel, affiliated with Tawakkol Karman. This is happening amid expectations that other channels such as Suhail, Yemen Youth, and Al-Mahriyah will also be closed.
Morocco’s repercussions: The closure of “Balqees” came after Moroccan authorities filed lawsuits against Karman in Turkey regarding the channel’s offensive media coverage of Morocco. This prompted Türkiye to take strict measures despite the Muslim Brotherhood’s significant investments in the channel.
The new destination: Al-Ahmar and others have moved their families to Albania. Al-Ahmar has significant investments there. This is a move to diversify their safe havens after the security situation in Türkiye deteriorated.
Karman loses Turkish support and changes her organization’s headquarters
In a sign of mounting pressure, activist Tawakkol Karman is likely to relocate her Peace and Democracy Organization to a new location. More significantly, sources anticipate that major Turkish aid and charitable organizations, which have been supporting and funding her campaigns to recruit Yemeni youth to the Muslim Brotherhood, will cease their support in the coming period.
