Beyond Proxy War: Local Actors and Transformation of Sovereignty in Yemen

作者：Muhammad Salim Khan, Waqar Amin · 发表于：The Research Frontline - Journal · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.66871/trf-j.v1i3.006 · 研究领域：Middle East and Rwanda Conflicts、Political Conflict and Governance、Middle East Politics and Society

The conflict in Yemen has fundamentally reshaped the meaning and practice of sovereignty through the increased role of non-state actors. A plethora of existing scholarship frames the Yemen conflict as a proxy war dominated by the Houthis and the Saudi-supported coalition. But this perspective underscores the critical role played by other non-state actors, particularly the Southern Transition Council (STC), tribal networks and localised militias. This paper argues that sovereignty in Yemen has become fragmented and spatially differentiated, and the state no longer enjoys a monopoly over legitimate authority. The paper draws its theoretical framework from Max Weber and Charles Tilly and conceptualises sovereignty not as a rigid attribute of the state but as an evolving and contesting process influenced by conflict dynamics. Methodologically, the paper employs a qualitative approach and relies on secondary data sources. It analyses how the non-state actors in Yemen perform core state functions, including security, territorial control, and dispute settlement. For instance, the STC functions as a proto-state authority in Yemen, while the militias exercise localised authority that challenges the centralised state apparatus. The paper also demonstrates that this fragmented authority creates a hybrid system of governance with overlapping jurisdiction and competing claims to legitimacy. This power configuration intensifies peace-making efforts, as multiple actors reduce the possibilit...