Misplaced Pages

#663336

50-763: The first reference to Taiz in historical sources dates back to the first half of the 12th century CE, when the sultan of the Sulayhid dynasty , Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Sulayhi, built the Al-Qahira Castle . Taiz first became an urbanized area during the days of his brother Ali bin Muhammad al-Sulayhi. The next historical reference to Taiz mentioned that Queen Arwa al-Sulayhi 's minister, Prince Al-Mansur bin Al-Mufaddal bin Abi Al-Barakat, sold many of

100-473: A mass shooting took place in the city. A Yemeni killed eleven women and seven men, among them his wife and his mother , before he was arrested by police. When he was led away he managed to wrest the gun from a police officer and kill another four people, three of them police officers, before he himself was shot dead. A total of 23 people were killed, including the suspect. In 1918 the Ottomans lost Taiz to

150-508: A mountain spur 450 m (1,480 ft) above the city centre. Taiz is also home to one of the best-known mountains in Yemen, Jabal Saber , almost 3,000 metres (1.9 miles) above sea level), which affords panoramic views over the city. Historically, the mountainous city of Taiz was known for coffee production . The Mocha coffee produced in Taiz was considered some of the finest in the region in

200-424: A rocket fired on a crowded market had killed 6 people and injured 18. However it was later reported on 6 June that the rocket attack had killed 12 people and left more than 122 injured, a number much higher than the previous reported number. Two rocket attacks on 6 June killed a woman and injured her three children. 45 people including three civilians were killed by the same day in two days of fighting. On 18 June,

250-498: A significant progress in Taiz, by capturing several districts, and government buildings and ousted many Houthi fighters from the area. On 17 March, humanitarian aid arrived in the recaptured part of Taiz. On 19 March, Houthi fighters attacked pro-Hadi fighters in the recaptured part of the city. Yemeni security and medical officials said 35 fighters had been killed in clashes between Shiite rebels and pro-government forces in Taiz. The officials said that Houthis were trying to retake

300-607: Is probably around 1,000 millimetres (39.4 in) per year. The city has many old quarters, with houses that are typically built with brown bricks, and mosques that are usually whitewashed. The most famous mosques in the city are the Ashrafiya , the Mua'tabiya Mosque, and the Mudhaffar Mosque . Other landmarks include Cairo Citadel , which looms above the city from the south, and the governor's palace, which rests on top of

350-586: The Houthis , who are besieging the city as part of the Yemeni Civil War . The city is served by Ta'izz International Airport . With the closing of this airport due to the civil war, the only way into and out of the city is via cars or small buses that goes through a longer and less serviced roads than the normal roads before the war. However, There was an agreement recently towards open roads in Taiz that will save time and effort for people to go in and out

400-865: The Taiyabi Ismaili sect, as opposed to the Hafizi Ismaili sect that the other Ismaili dynasties such as the Zurayids and the Hamdanids adhered to. The Sulayhids are from the Arab Yemeni clan of Banu Salouh, descended from the al-Hajour tribe, descended from the Hashid tribe, descended from the Hamdanids . The first Isma'ili missionaries, Ibn Hawshab and Ali ibn al-Fadl al-Jayshani , already appeared in Yemen in 881, thirty years before

450-493: The United Nations warned of an "extreme and irreversible" food shortage if fighting continued. In August 2015, Yemeni Member of Parliament Muhammad Muqbil Al-Himyari reported Houthi attacks on civilians in Taiz and appealed for help on Suhail TV (Yemen). The 2015 confrontation expanded into a military campaign for control of this strategic city. Despite ceasefires and prisoner swaps, the battle continues to this day and

500-485: The 35th Armoured Brigade deploying on the city streets and anti-Houthi militiamen taking up positions north of the city, amid Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in the area. The 22nd Republican Guards Brigade was hit by an airstrike, as was the village of Al-Dhahirah in the Mawiyah District , the next day. By 15 April 2015, Yemeni military sources reported that five pro-Saleh military brigades defected throughout

550-727: The Arabian Peninsula Ansar al-Shariah campaign (2011–14) Houthi rebellion (2014) Bombings and terrorist attacks in Yemen Houthi missile and drone attacks in Yemen Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia Houthi attacks on the United Arab Emirates U.S. raids on al-Qaeda Military operations Diplomacy Effects The siege of Taiz is an ongoing, protracted military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in

SECTION 10

#1732766256664

600-712: The Houthis captured the base of Brigade 35, Also known as "Al-Qasr Camp" after a week long battle On 3 July, during the morning hours, Yemeni popular committees and Houthi fighters managed to capture a strategic military site in the Haifan District of the Ta'iz Governorate after fierce clashes against Coalition-backed Hadi forces. On 8 July, a Saudi-led Coalition airstrike targeted a gathering of Houthi fighters in Mocha town, killing 17 and wounding dozens others. On July 25,

650-745: The Ismaili creed and was appointed khalifa within the da'wa (dissemination of the creed). In 1047 he gathered an armed force in Haraz and thus founded the Sulayhid dynasty (1047–1138). In the following years his regime managed to subdue all of Yemen. The ruler of the Najahids in the Tihaman lowland was poisoned in 1060 and his capital Zabid was taken by the Sulayhids. The first Sulayhid ruler conquered

700-610: The Najahids, and the Sulayhid armies regained much territory. He could certainly not prevent the Najahids from keeping outside his power in the Tihamah, but the Sulayhids nevertheless remained the most powerful regime in Yemen. In Aden the Zurayids , another Ismaili dynasty, came to power in 1083, at first as Sulayhid tributaries. The reign of al-Mukarram Ahmad ended in 1086 when he turned over governance to his wife Arwa . He may nevertheless have exerted some influence from behind during

750-516: The air to disperse protests. One demonstrator was killed and five more were injured. Two days later, five demonstrators were killed by the Houthis and 80 were injured during a protest on 24 March against their presence in the city, while in the city of Al Turba, 80 km to the southwest, three protesters were killed and 12 injured while attacking a Houthi position. On 11 April 2015, pro-Houthi soldiers and fighters loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi both reportedly mobilised around Taiz, with

800-487: The case in towns where kings reside. Taʻizz is made up of three quarters; the first is the residence of the king and his court, the second, called ʽUdayna, is the military station, and the third, called al-Mahálib, is inhabited by the commonalty, and contains the principal market. In 1500, the capital was moved to Sana'a by the ruler of the Taharid dynasty . In 1516 Taiz came under Ottoman control. On March 25–26, 1994,

850-456: The ceasefire on all fronts in the city. On 18 April, Houthi militias and forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh continued to bomb residential neighborhoods in the city of Taiz and the opening of the eastern and western ports of the city, despite the signing of a truce agreement on a day before. The official Yemeni news agency quoted a local Yemeni source as saying, "Violent explosions were heard last night on more than one front, while

900-412: The center of Al Wazi'iyah District in southwestern Taiz governorate on April 1. A ceasefire in Taiz was agreed upon by the opposing forces and enforced on 11 April. One violation was reported by residents and local journalists who said that the Houthis shelled residential areas and a military base after midnight. On 17 April, an agreement was reached between the Houthis and the loyalists to reinforce

950-458: The city from president Ali Abdullah Saleh . As part of the 2015 Yemeni Civil War , on 22 March 2015, the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh took the city in the aftermath of their coup d'état in Sanaa . The city became the site of a military confrontation between Houthis and the forces loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi . The city was effectively under siege and

1000-467: The city has been described as a "volatile front line." The frontline runs through the city from east to west, and journeys across the frontline that once took 5 minutes now take 5 hours. Once known as the "cultural capital of Yemen", the war has bestowed a new name on Taiz: "city of snipers". As of 2018, at least seven journalists had been killed in Taiz since the start of the war. The fighting has also devastated Taiz's architectural heritage: Cairo Citadel

1050-455: The city of Taiz for control of the city and surrounding area. The battle began one month after the start of the Yemeni Civil War . Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh , Yemen's influential former president and General People's Congress party head, swept into Taiz on 22 March, capturing the military airport and other key parts of the city. They encountered little resistance, although Houthi gunmen reportedly fired into

SECTION 20

#1732766256664

1100-465: The city of Taiz include cotton -weaving, tanning and jewelry production. However, since the outbreak of the civil war in 2015, Taiz's economy has been devastated by the fighting and the city's siege by Houthi rebels. Many goods are in short supply, and must be smuggled in across steep mountain roads to avoid sniper fire. Taiz has many road connections with the rest of the country. However, as of January 2023, most roads to and from Ta'iz are controlled by

1150-461: The city was considered to be a center for the study of the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence. In 1332 Ibn Battutah visited Taiz and described it as one of the largest and most beautiful cities of Yemen: We went on ... to the town of Taʻizz, the capital of the king of Yemen, and one of the finest and largest towns in that country. Its people are overbearing, insolent, and rude, as is generally

1200-572: The city. Like Sana'a Zoo , this zoo held fauna caught in the wild, such as the Arabian leopard , as well as exotic animals such as African lions and gazelles . Due to the civil war, however, many of the animals held at the zoo have become sick or died due to lack of food. [REDACTED] Media related to Ta'izz at Wikimedia Commons Sulayhid dynasty The Sulayhid dynasty ( Arabic : بَنُو صُلَيْح , romanized :  Banū Ṣulayḥ , lit.   'Children of Sulayh')

1250-408: The country's castles and cities - except for the fortresses of Taiz and Sabr - to the ruler of Aden Al-Zari'i, the preacher Muhammad Ibn Saba, in exchange for one hundred thousand dinars. Turan-Shah , the older brother of Saladin , ruled the city after he conquered Yemen in 1173 CE. Turan-Shah built the citadel on the hill overlooking the old city. In 1175 CE, Taiz was made the capital of Yemen as it

1300-528: The country, with one of them battling Houthis in the Taiz Governorate . Airstrikes pounded Republican Guard and Houthi military positions in and around Taiz on 17 April 2015. A government official in Taiz told Xinhua that the airstrikes had caused dozens of injuries and virtually destroyed Taiz's infrastructure, as well as the military bases they struck. Between 17 and 18 April 2015, at least 30 people were killed when Houthi gunmen, supported by

1350-507: The death toll at 19 civilians. Fighting broke out in Taiz on 16 May, despite a five-day ceasefire agreed to by the Houthis, military factions, and Saudi-led coalition. At least a dozen civilians and a number of fighters on both the pro-Houthi and pro-Hadi sides were killed. On 24 July, airstrikes targeted two residential complexes belonging to engineers and technicians of al-Mukha power plant of Taiz province . By 5 August 2015, pro-Hadi forces at Ta'izz had received reinforcements from

1400-461: The early 20th century. Today, coffee remains a major part of the economy but mango, pomegranate, citrus, banana, papai, vegetables, cereals, onions, and qat are also grown in the surrounding landscapes. Taiz is also known for its cheese. It is produced in rural areas like Araf, Awshaqh, Akhuz, Bargah, Barah, Jumah, Mukyas, Suayra, Kamb and Hajda and sold in Bab al-Kabeer and Bab Musa markets. Industries in

1450-454: The elite Republican Guard , assaulted the headquarters of the 35th Armoured Army Brigade, which had declared its loyalty to Hadi. The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters, as well as three civilians. Another report put the number of dead at 85. On the morning of 19 April, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed. On 22 April 2015, Houthi forces captured the pro-Hadi brigade's military base in Taiz. An airstrike

1500-512: The establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate . Their creed was subsequently disseminated among the mountain tribes in the early 10th century. During this period Ibn al-Fadl managed to conquer San'a and the central highlands in 905, while Ibn Hawshab established himself at Shibam Kawkaban . Nevertheless, this regime was beaten by the resurgent indigenous Yu'firid dynasty in 916, after Ibn al-Fadl's death in 915. In spite of this setback

1550-645: The lost part of Taiz and some strategical roads that lead to Aden . The Houthis built walls to prevent the Hadi loyalists reinforcements from arriving in the city. Meanwhile, 13 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, arrived in the part of Taiz recaptured by the government. On 25 March, according to reports, 14 civilians were killed by the Saudi-led coalition inside the Houthi held part of Taiz. Houthi forces and allied forces loyal to former president Saleh seized control of

Taiz - Misplaced Pages Continue

1600-459: The mission of the Fatimids continued. The Fatimid da'i (leader) in Yemen, Sulayman az-Zawahi, befriended a young man from the mountainous region Haraz to the south-west of San'a, Ali bin Muhammad as-Sulayhi (d. 1067 or possibly 1081). Ali was the son of a respected Sunni chief but nevertheless susceptible to the doctrines and decrees of the Fatimids. In 1046, Ali was eventually converted to

1650-512: The most renowned ruling queens of the Islamic world. She governed with the help of a succession of strong henchmen. The first was Saba' bin Ahmad, a distant cousin of the Sulayhids who formally married queen Arwa. The marriage, however, was probably not consummated. He fought vigorously against the Najahids in the lowland and died in 1098. After his demise San'a was lost to the Sulayhids. The second

1700-503: The newly independent Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen . Taiz remained a walled city until 1948, when Imam Ahmed made it the second capital of Yemen, allowing for expansion beyond its fortified wall. In the 1960s, the first purified water system in Yemen was opened in Taiz. In 1962, state administrations moved back to Sana'a. During the Yemeni Revolution fighting in Taiz resulted in anti-government forces seizing control of

1750-478: The next few years. He died in the fortress of Ashyah in 1091. Arwa al-Sulayhi (r. 1086–1138) had borne al-Mukarram Ahmad four children, but none of these took an active part in politics. The new queen was recognized by the Fatimids of Egypt as the suzerain over the various Yemeni kings. She established her capital in Jibla rather than Sana'a in about 1087. Queen Arwa was known as an outstanding ruler, indeed one of

1800-562: The pro-Hadi militias captured a mountain area near Taiz. On July 27, Yemeni army and Al-Islah militias took control of the Sarari village, and reportedly found an Iranian training camp there. A mosque of a Sufi saint was blown up by the Salafist militias on 29 July. By August 2016 Houthis had captured the Hayfan district , thus capturing southern Taiz completely. This victory put them in

1850-465: The retreat due to lack of military equipment, compared to Houthi forces in the area who enjoyed an advantage in terms of supplies. 14 civilians were killed and 70 wounded on 22 October due to shelling by Houthis and pro-government forces. Saudi Arabian Colonel Abdullah al-Sahian and Emirati Colonel Mohammed Ali al-Kitbi , who were operating in the Taiz area, were killed in a rocket strike by Houthi militiamen on 14 December 2015. They were some of

1900-515: The senior-most officers of the Saudi-led coalition killed in the war. BBC reported on February 22, a video footage had emerged showing AQAP fighting in the battle alongside pro-Hadi fighters. The pro-Hadi coalition of Sunni governments have however denied co-operating with the extremists. According to humanitarian organizations, 58 civilians, and 269 others were injured in February by the fighting in Taiz. On 12 March, pro-government fighters made

1950-511: The south, allowing them to capture 75% of Ta'izz. On 16 August 2015, only days after a large-scale pro-Hadi offensive in southern Yemen, pro-Hadi forces, backed by Saudi airstrikes, recaptured most of the city of Ta'izz. However, Houthis managed to reverse loyalist gains, capturing a number of strategic positions of Al-Salih Gardens, along with areas of the Al-Dabab Mountain region after weeks of losses, while Hadi loyalists attributed

2000-481: The territories, Ibn Najib attempted a coup in 1125. However, he was bested and sent back to Egypt in a wooden cage, and died on the way. The last years of queen Arwa's reign are ill-documented. With her death in 1138, there was no-one left of the dynasty, and the Sulayhid era came to an end. Taiz campaign Ongoing [REDACTED] Supreme Revolutionary Committee / Supreme Political Council [REDACTED] Cabinet of Yemen [REDACTED] Al-Qaeda in

2050-621: The two eastern exits leading to Sanaa and the western one leading to Al Hudaydah were shut down and sieged by the Houthis." The Media Bureau of the Popular Resistance in Taiz has recorded more than 16 violations committed by the coup militias, which included bombing of military bases, resistance sites, and residential neighbourhoods during the agreed truce timeline. 6 people; including 1 pro-government fighter and 5 Houthi fighters were killed on 9 May during shelling by both Houthis and pro-government forces. MSF reported on June 3 that

Taiz - Misplaced Pages Continue

2100-501: The warring parties exchanged 194 prisoners with 118 being Houthi fighters and the other 78 being pro-government fighters. 13 people were killed during clashes on 22 June. A mortar fired by Houthis in central Taiz killed 5 people and wounded 5 others. 2 pro-government fighters were killed and 8 others were injured in fighting in western Taiz according to Abdel Aziz al-Majedi who also claimed that scores of Houthi fighters were killed and injured and number of them were captured. On 26 June,

2150-457: The western part of the city, while the Saudi-led coalition launched more than a dozen airstrikes to prevent Houthis from advancing. On 22 March, at least 39 Houthis were killed and dozens others injured when Houthis recaptured Taiz from pro-government forces. Over the weekend, at least 55 people, including civilians, were killed in two days of intense fighting in and around the city. On 24 March, Houthis escalated their offensive by recapturing

2200-698: The whole of Yemen in 1062, and proceeded northwards to occupy the Hejaz . For a time, the Sulayhids appointed the Emirs of Mecca . Ali also controlled San'a since 1063, after bringing fighting against the Zaidiyyah to a successful conclusion. San'a was made the capital of his kingdom. The Ma'nids of Aden were defeated in 1062 and forced to pay tribute. Ali as-Sulayhi appointed governors in Tihama, al-Janad (close to Ta'izz ) and at-Ta'kar (close to Ibb ). Ali as-Sulayhi

2250-524: Was Al-Mufaddal bin Abi'l-Barakat (d. 1111) who governed from at-Ta'kar, a massive mountain fortress south of the capital Jibla, and was likewise active in the field against the Najahids. The third was Ibn Najib ad-Dawla who arrived in Yemen in 1119 from Egypt, being dispatched by the Fatimid caliph there. He managed to pacify much of southern Yemen and push back the Najahids. As he saw the queen too old to rule over

2300-627: Was an Ismaili Shi'ite Arab dynasty established in 1047 by Ali ibn Muhammad al-Sulayhi that ruled most of historical Yemen at its peak. The Sulayhids brought to Yemen peace and a prosperity unknown since Himyaritic times. The regime was confederate with the Cairo -based Fatimid Caliphate , and was a constant enemy of the Rassids - the Zaidi Shi'ite rulers of Yemen throughout its existence. The dynasty ended with Arwa al-Sulayhi affiliating to

2350-508: Was assassinated at the hands of relatives of the Najahids whom he had previously defeated; the date is variously given as 1067 or 1081. He was succeeded on the throne by his son al-Mukarram Ahmad. The beginning of his rule is not satisfactory documented, but the area controlled by the Sulayhids was severely diminished, possibly to the San'a area. After some years, al-Mukarram Ahmad was able to rescue his mother Asma bint Shihab who had been captured by

2400-455: Was conducted against the base shortly after its capture. 10 pro-Hadi soldiers were killed in the battle for the base. Four days later, residents reported that pro-Hadi forces had captured several city districts from the Houthis. Fighting was heaviest around government and security buildings in the city center, with some 20 civilians killed. After the local Al-Thawra hospital was hit, the WHO put

2450-518: Was damaged by airstrikes in 2015, and the Taiz Museum was shelled in 2016, causing its manuscripts to be destroyed. Taiz has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification : BSh ), bordering both a humid subtropical climate ( Cwa ) and a tropical savanna climate ( Aw ). The average daily temperature high during August is 32.5 °C (90.5 °F). Annual rainfall of Taiz is around 660 millimetres (26 in), but on Jabal Sabir it

2500-659: Was incorporated into dominions of the Ayyubid dynasty by Turan-Shah. Taiz's expansion accelerated when the Rasulid dynasty, which ruled Yemen from 1229 to 1454, took over the city. The second Rasulid King, Almaddhafar (1288 CE), moved his kingdom's capital from Sanaa to Taiz, due to its proximity to Aden. Taiz was said to have reached its golden age during the Rasulid dynasty, whose sultans spent lavishly on palaces, mosques, and madrassas. Its neighborhoods also teemed with schools, guesthouses, markets, orchards, and lush gardens, and

#663336