Al-Jawf: Houthi Member Killed While Participating in Sectarian “Wilayah Day” Event

A member of the Houthi militia, identified as Hamoud Mohammed Abu Sulouf, was killed on Monday night in Yemen’s Al-Jawf Governorate, which is under Houthi control, while participating in activities organized by the group to mark what it calls “Eid al-Ghadir” or “Wilayah Day.”

Local sources reported that Abu Sulouf was killed when a traditional locally made artillery piece exploded and fragmented due to excessive gunpowder pressure during a ceremonial firing event known among Houthi members as “Qarhat al-Nasr” (Cry of Victory). The practice is part of promotional activities accompanying the occasion, which the group uses to reinforce its political doctrine of wilayah and its claim to a divinely sanctioned right to rule.

According to the sources, the incident resulted from the unsafe and unregulated use of weapons and improvised artillery pieces during the gathering. Excessive gunpowder loading generated pressure beyond the capacity of the aging metal barrel, causing it to explode instantly and scatter deadly shrapnel, killing Abu Sulouf on the spot.