Members of Yemen's Shiite Houthi group have reportedly abducted four employees of a media organization in capital Sanaa.

"[Houthis] abducted three protesting employees from the Shomoa media establishment and took them to an undisclosed location," sources with the media outlet told.

A distributer for the Akhbar al-Youm publication was also reportedly abducted by the militants, according to the sources.
Houthi leaders, meanwhile, could not be reached for comment.

In a statement, Yemen's journalists syndicate called for the release of the four abductees, blaming the Houthi group for the recent harassment of journalists.

Yemen's Houthis emerged as a formidable political and military force after assuming control of Sanaa last September. Since then, the group has moved on to establish control over other parts of the country as well.

Last week, the Houthi leadership issued a "constitutional declaration" dissolving parliament and establishing a 551-member "transitional council."

According to the declaration, pro-Houthi "revolutionary committees" will now form a transitional council to replace the dissolved assembly.

This transitional council will then elect a five-member presidential council tasked with drawing up a government of "technocrats" and running the nation's affairs for a two-year transition period.

Last week's declaration, however, was rejected by most of Yemen's political forces – along with some neighboring countries – which described it as a "coup" against "constitutional legitimacy."

Fractious Yemen has remained in the throes of political turmoil since autocratic President Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down in 2012 following a months-long popular uprising against his 33 years in power.

PHOTO CAPTION

President of the Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a cousin of the Houthis' leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi attends a rally in support of the Houthis at a sports stadium in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015.

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