In Photos: The Houthi fundraising campaign for Hezbollah

By | June 3rd, 2019 | @Caleb_Weiss7

Since beginning a pledge drive to help procure funds for the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah almost two weeks ago, social media linked to Yemen’s Houthi insurgent movement have released several photos and videos showing the progress of the campaign.

On May 24, Sam FM, a Houthi-ran radio station based in Sana’a, announced that it began a pledge campaign to donate funds to Lebanese Hezbollah. The radio station said on its Telegram channel that this drive is “to support the mujahideen masters in this world, the purest of people, Hezbollah.”

Since this announcement, dozens of both photos and videos have been released on Sam FM’s Telegram channel showing support among the Yemeni people for the campaign as well as the general progress of the drive.

While many of the photos are of Yemeni supporters, one set of pictures appears to show a Lebanese supporter, presumably a member of Hezbollah’s media apparatus, at a Hezbollah cemetery in Lebanon.

Other photos show purported receipts of donations made by supporters at Yemen post offices, while others show members and supporters donating money during this year’s Quds Day celebrations.

Yet another photo series shows Sam FM employees plastering banners of the campaign at Yemen post offices, while civilians ostensibly donate money to the drive.

Speaking about the drive to another Houthi-ran media outlet, Hamoud Mohammad Sharaf, the director of Sam FM, said that the drive is meant to “strengthen the axis of resistance” and that it “represents a surprising and painful blow to the Zionist entity, the enemy of the Arab and Islamic nation.”

These pictures demonstrate that despite the vast humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, Houthi members and supporters continue to donate money to support Hezbollah and Iran’s “axis of resistance.”

A Lebanese supporter of the pledge drive, identified by the Houthi-ran Sam FM as a “media brother,” presumably referring to Hezbollah’s media apparatus, at a Hezbollah cemetery in Lebanon. The photos give evidence that the donation campaign is being supported by Hezbollah.
Another photo of the same individual at the Hezbollah cemetery, holding a sign in support of the Houthi campaign.
A receipt for a 2,000 Yemeni rial donation (equivalent to $8 USD). Despite the relatively small amount, the overall funds raised by this campaign could be significant. A similar pledge drive ran by Sam FM to donate to the Houthi war campaign, reportedly raised over 30 million Yemeni rials (roughly $120,000 USD).
Another receipt for a 43,300 Yemeni rial donation, or roughly $173 USD.
Pledge campaign workers at Friday’s Quds Day celebrations in Yemen soliciting donations for the drive.
Another donation point during Friday’s Quds Day celebrations in Yemen. A supporter can be seen waving the Hezbollah flag on the left.
Another donation point during Friday’s Quds Day celebrations in Yemen.
Workers and soldiers plaster a banner denoting a donation point for the campaign at a Yemeni post office.
A campaign banner indicating a donation point at Sana’a’s central post office.
Another campaign banner indicating a donation point at a post office in Yemen.

Caleb Weiss is an editor of FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

Tags: , , , , ,

Iraq

Islamic state

Syria

Aqap

Al shabaab

Boko Haram

Isis