Senior member of Yemen rebel alliance defects as rift widens

Yemeni tribal sources say a minister allied with Ali Abdullah Saleh has fled the capital, in the latest indication of a growing rift between the former president and Shiite Houthi rebels.
They said today that Hussein Hazib, a prominent member of Saleh's party who served as education minister in the so- called National Salvation government set up with the rebels, has fled to Marib, an area east of the capital controlled by government forces.
Saleh's forces helped the Houthis seize Sanaa in 2014 and have fought alongside them against the internationally recognized government and a Saudi-backed coalition.
The alliance appears to have grown strained in recent weeks, however, with Saleh believed to have been placed under house arrest.

The tribal sources spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals.