SA’ADA, July 4 — Sulaiman Otaif, a journalist in Sa’ada governorate, said armed men linked to the Houthis abducted five residents in the Majz district, putting them in prison on the pretext that they refused to buy Zakat (alms), though they have vouchers proving they paid it several days before being arrested.

Otaif said the abducted are Saleh Salim, Mubarak Hussein Nasher, Mohammed Jaber Al-Shaee, Ahmed Salim Al-Shaee and Abdullah Jabar.

“Members of the Houthis stormed the house of Sheikh Ahmed Shared, a tribal leader of Sha’ban area in Razih district and arrested two of his children and one of his brothers,” Otaif said.

“On Monday morning, Sheikh Ahmed Shared and four other public figures went to inquire about the matter and asked for the children to be released from the Houthis’ prison, but the Houthis arrested them and put them in prison,” he said.

Otaif confirmed that the arrested haven’t been released. He said children were arrested because they used fireworks.

Abu Hashim, a Houthi leader, denied the claims.

He said the claims are attempts by the Islah Party to cast the Houthis in a negative light and to create disorder in Sa’da governorate.

“Shared and his family were not abducted,” Abu Hashim said.

He said Shared opened fire on a car linked to the Houthis.