The Yemeni army has required the support of tribal militias or what have become known as People's Committees in internal and external wars.
When the 1963 revolution in northern Yemen did not receive military support from the United Kingdom, some troops allied with the deposed imams to regain power.
[1][2][3] During the presidency of Abdul Rahman al-Iryani (1967–1974) the military battled over policy, beginning with a conflict over the establishment of the National Council.
[4] During the 1980s Ali Abdullah Saleh reemphasized tribal affairs, in contrast with assassinated president Ibrahim al-Hamdi.
[7][8] By 2015, popular committees had spread to other provinces of Yemen,[9][10] and played a major role in the Battle of Aden (2015) against the Houthis.