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'Tim-Huthi Chalamet': Handsome TikToker spreads Yemen rebels' message

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Osamah Abdulrahman, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Rashed Al-Haddad, 19, a Yemeni TikToker and influencer, who has been dubbed " Tim-Huthi="" by="" Western="" internet="" wags="" for="" his="" resemblance="" to="" star="" Timothee="" answers="" questions="" during="" an="" interview="" at="" home="" in="" the="" Huthi-controlled="" capital="" Sanaa="" on="" January="" Al-Haddad="" received="" millions="" of="" views="" filmed="" trip="" Galaxy="" Israel-linked="" vehicle="" carrier="" that="" was="" captured="" November="" and="" is="" now="" being="" paraded="" as="" a="" trophy="" war.="" Mohammed="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/overseas/01/26/20240126-rashed-al-haddad-ap.jpg"/><figcaption>Rashed Al-Haddad, 19, a Yemeni TikToker and influencer, who has been dubbed &quot;Tim-Huthi Chalamet&quot; by Western internet wags for his resemblance to &quot;Wonka&quot; star Timothee Chalamet, answers questions during an interview at his home in the Huthi-controlled capital Sanaa on January 18, 2024. Al-Haddad received millions of views for his filmed trip to the Galaxy Leader, the Israel-linked vehicle carrier that was captured in November and is now being paraded as a trophy of war. <em>Mohammed Huwais, AFP </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>SANAA, Yemen — Gazing smolderingly into the camera as he boards a hijacked ship, a young influencer is gaining attention as he promotes a controversial cause: Yemen&#x27;s Huthi rebels and their attacks in the Red Sea.</p><p>Rashed Al-Haddad, 19, has become a minor celebrity for his social media posts, some set to triumphant music and showing him brandishing the red, white and black flag of Yemen, with a large ceremonial dagger thrust into his belt.</p><p>Though not a member of the Iran-backed group, the telegenic TikToker with cherubic curls, who lives in the rebel-held capital Sanaa, has been dubbed &quot;Tim-Huthi Chalamet&quot; by social media users for his resemblance to &quot;Wonka&quot; star Timothee Chalamet.</p><p>&quot;I received many offers to participate in fashion shows and advertisements, but I decided to take advantage of this fame for the Palestinian cause,&quot; he told AFP.</p><p>Haddad&#x27;s profile has grown alongside the rise in international attention on war-torn Yemen after Huthi attacks on shipping -- launched, the group says, in protest at Israel&#x27;s war against Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza -- triggered US and British reprisal strikes.</p><p>The attacks led the United States to re-designate the Huthis a &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/18/24/us-puts-houthis-back-on-list-of-global-terror-groups" target="_blank">terrorist&quot; organization</a>, with ships being diverted thousands of miles around Africa and threatening to disrupt everything from car factories to natural gas deliveries.</p><p>The fresh-faced teen received millions of views for his video of a trip to the Galaxy Leader, the Israel-linked cargo ship that was captured in November and is now being paraded as a trophy of war.</p><p>He presents an alternative to the grizzled image of the Iran-backed Huthis, who seized Yemen&#x27;s capital in 2014.</p><p>A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year to prop up the internationally recognized government, plunging the country into a brutal war that has since resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2928457" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><strong>MILLIONS OF VIEWS</strong></div><p>&quot;When I started on TikTok, I posted videos of the ship (Galaxy Leader) that was seized by the Yemenis. When I posted the video clips, they reached millions of views within four days,&quot; he told AFP in Sanaa, wearing a combat belt with a rifle slung across his lap.</p><p>&quot;After that, the account was banned (by TikTok) and deleted permanently.&quot;</p><p>Haddad said his Instagram account with 70,000 followers was also deleted along with his Facebook profile. Both platforms, owned by Meta, ban hate speech.</p><p>In contrast to Haddad&#x27;s videos, the Huthis are often seen holding mass demonstrations where weapon-toting crowds chant: &quot;Death to Israel, death to America!&quot;</p><p>&quot;Three of my TikTok accounts were banned as well, but I have created new accounts, and thankfully, the number of followers is increasing,&quot; Haddad said, shrugging off comparisons with Hollywood&#x27;s Chalamet.</p><p>&quot;I did not care that (social media users) compared me to this actor, but I was happy in another way,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;I was happy that I would be able to send messages to the West, because many foreigners followed me.&quot;</p><p>Haddad also insisted that despite the focus on his looks, he remained committed to his cause.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m not interested in being famous because of my handsomeness, there is definitely something more important,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m not thinking of becoming famous because I&#x27;m handsome in order to do advertisements or to be an actor.</p><p>&quot;The most important thing is our basic cause, Palestine, and we are all on the side of Palestine.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/22/24/red-sea-will-eu-warships-deter-yemens-houthi-rebels">Red Sea: Will EU warships deter Yemen&#x27;s Houthi rebels?</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/26/24/42-percent-drop-in-suez-traffic-following-huthi-attacks-un">42 percent drop in Suez traffic following Huthi attacks: UN</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2881122" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse </strong></div>

A young influencer is gaining attention as he promotes a controversial cause: Yemen's Huthi rebels and their attacks in the Red Sea.

'Tim-Huthi Chalamet': Handsome TikToker spreads Yemen rebels' message

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'Tim-Huthi Chalamet': Handsome TikToker spreads Yemen rebels' message

Osamah Abdulrahman,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jan 26, 2024 12:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Yemen

conflict

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Houthi

Huthi

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