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Muslim Brotherhood split on Saudi strikes in Yemen

Sunni parties in Egypt support Saudi Arabia's airstrikes on Yemen, while the Muslim Brotherhood’s reaction remains ambiguous.
Supporters of Egypt's deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi pray during a rally in protest against the recent violence in Egypt, in Sanaa August 16, 2013. Protests by Mursi supporters turned violent across Egypt on Friday, with witnesses reporting four dead in central Cairo and at least 12 killed in northern cities as the Muslim Brotherhood staged a "Day of Rage". REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah (YEMEN - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST RELIGION) - RTX12NKR

Saudi Arabia launched Operation Decisive Storm against the Houthis in Yemen as Saudi Arabia feared that the Houthis would gain control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, threatening shipping in Egypt and the Gulf — while in Egypt, religious currents reacted to the Egyptian air force's controversial participation in the military operation.

The Muslim Brotherhood released a statement condemning the Houthis’ removal of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and called on all parties to use dialogue to end the crisis. Amr Darag and Yahya Hamad, two Brotherhood leaders, clearly expressed their support for Operation Decisive Storm on Twitter. However, they condemned Egypt’s participation under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, saying that Sisi, like the Houthis, came to power through a coup. Furthermore, a number of Brotherhood supporters in Egypt demonstrated March 27 against the military operation, describing it as “a blow of shame.”

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