Yemeni soldier and politician who helped to expel his country's Saudi-backed royalist rulers. Mujahid Abu Shawarib was one of the pillars of the republican movement that in 1962 overthrew the Zaidi imamate, which had ruled in northern Yemen for more than a thousand years, and proclaimed the Yemen Arab Re At the revolution of September 26, 1962, which deposed the Imam, Mujahid espoused the republican cause. In the eight-year civil war, which then ensued between republicans and royalists he commanded republican troops in numerous fierce skirmishes. In 1968 he drove royalist forces from their position on Jebel Attan just to the west of Saana, initiating the collapse of the 70-day siege. He also played an influential role after 1990 when North and South Yemen were united as the Republic of Yemen. Mujahid was respected for his patriotism as well as his strong pan-Arab outlook.