The Canadian government has listed the Yemeni militant group Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a terrorist group in an effort to “fight terrorism globally.”
In a statement released on Monday, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada said that Ansarallah, a Yemeni militant group, has met the definition of a “terrorist group” under Canada’s Criminal Code.
Ansarallah is linked to the Iran-based Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC) and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, two other entities listed as terrorist organizations in Canada.
The militant group has targeted numerous vessels crossing through the Red Sea since November 2023.
In February, Canada provided support to the United States and United Kingdom during a wave of attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen, however no Canadian military weapons were used in the strikes, a Department of National Defence spokesperson said on Sunday.
“Today’s addition of Ansarallah as a listed terrorist entity contributes to our efforts in fighting terrorism,” LeBlanc said.
“Acts of violent extremism and terrorism have no place in the world and we will continue to take action to curtail the spread of these activities internationally and to counter threats to Canada, its citizens and its interests around the world.”
Canada’s Criminal Code enforces penalties against any person or group that knowingly deals with a listed entity. The federal law prohibits certain actions in relation to terrorist groups, including those related to terrorist financing, travel and recruitment, according to the statement.