Hadhramaut Governorate is witnessing rapid developments, tribal and military escalation, and mobilization by all parties affiliated with the two aggressor states, UAE and Saudi Arabia, as part of their struggle over the oil- and mineral-rich governorate.
Hadhramaut is currently experiencing a state of escalating tension and tension amid the power struggle between the tools of the UAE and Saudi aggression, amid threats by the so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC) to ignite an armed confrontation that would threaten stability in the region.
The so-called “Southern Resistance in Hadhramaut,” the military arm of the UAE-backed STC, issued a statement affirming its readiness to confront what it described as “suspicious movements” threatening the coastal districts, a reference to pro-Saudi movements within the governorate.
Meanwhile, the Security Committee in Hadhramaut quickly convened an emergency meeting, chaired by the aggressor-appointed governor, Mabkhout bin Madi, and attended by military and security leaders from the coast and valley. The meeting issued a stern warning against any violations that threaten security, vowing a strict response in accordance with the law.
The Transitional Council’s recent statement reflects clear Emirati concern about Riyadh’s growing influence in oil-rich Hadhramaut, particularly after the visit of Amr bin Habrish, head of the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance, to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with a number of officials. Upon his return, he announced that he had received broad Saudi support for what he called “extracting Hadhramaut’s rights” and achieving the goal of “self-rule.”
Indications of the potential outbreak of armed confrontation have increased, particularly with the announcement by the Saudi-backed Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance of the formation of a special military and security force called the “Hadhramaut Protection Forces,” which could drag the governorate into a new round of conflict and chaos.
