Yemeni republican guards, loyal to Yemen’s ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, take part along with fellows soldiers, unseen, during a demonstration demanding their reward in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Aug. 2, 2013.

:: Houthi militias have pulled a clever trap to stir away the dissolved Republican Guard’s officers and soldiers from the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The guard’s loyalty lay with ousted Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Sources from the Republican Guard said that Houthi militias, who control Yemen’s Ministry of Defense in Sanaa, informed a large group of officers and soldiers loyal to Saleh that they can collect their salaries, which have been suspended for about a year, from Dhamar governorate last Thursday.

The governorate is located 120 km south of the Yemeni capital.

Sources continued to explain that the Houthis’ lie pushed many to travel to Dhamar to receive their salaries. Upon their arrival to the designated location, Houthi militias detained them in a camp and confiscated their phones and IDs.

News website, asima-online.net, said a private source revealed that the officers did not receive their salaries as per the Houthis’ “trick.” Instead, militias wanted to stir the Guard away from Sanaa, pre-anticipating and preventing any military action against them from Saleh.

The number of officers and soldiers loyal to Saleh that are now under Houthi captivity in Dhamar could not be verified.