What Is Happening in Yemen’s Hadramawt Province?
According to the english section of webangah News Agency, citing mehr News Agency and Russia Al-Youm, local Yemeni sources confirmed that tribal forces have taken control of oil facilities in eastern Hadhramaut province in southern Yemen.
The sources stated that armed tribal members entered the PetroMasila oil company facilities east of Mukalla, the provincial capital, on Saturday and seized control.
The forces assigned to protect PetroMasilaS installations and its associated oil fields reportedly offered no resistance to the armed tribesmen.
Previously, Southern transitional Council (STC) forces established a presence at several strategic sites within Hadhramaut province.This move sparked negative reactions from the ”hadhramaut Tribal Alliance,” whose member tribes condemned STC activities as “occupation” aimed at dominating Hadhramaut and its oil resources.
Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar had earlier reported escalating tensions between UAE-backed armed groups and the Saudi-supported “Hadhramaut Tribal Coalition,” amid international warnings about transferring sudan’s Rapid Support Forces scenario to Hadhramaut over recent days.
This escalation has raised widespread political and popular concerns over potential military conflict in this crucial oil-producing region.
The tension intensified after Abu Ali al-Hadrami, commander of elite Hadhramaut protection forces affiliated with STC’s UAE backers, threatened attacks against the Tribal Coalition formations. He accused them of executing foreign-backed plans aimed at advancing Yemen’s fragmentation project.
The Saudi-supported coalition seeks autonomy for hadhramaut province under the leadership of Sheikh Amr bin Hubraish.The alliance challenged UAE-backed threats and pledged to expand its influence across all areas within the province.
It also announced intentions to form tribal resistance units conducting field operations meant to expel foreign or non-local forces from Hadhramaut. The coalition claims that UAE mercenary troops do not represent Hadhramaut since they originate from other provinces.
In a statement issued yesterday, this coalition called on “Hadhramaut Protection Forces” for immediate action against any invading external troops.It emphasized that any foreign deployment inside Hadhramaut would be considered occupation met with forceful opposition.
Meanwhile, Emirati mercenary forces declared a state of alert. They deployed hundreds of armored vehicles around Mukalla city-the provincial capital-and threatened an assault on oil plateaus controlled by the coalition.
Hadhrami tribes convened yesterday declaring full readiness status. They urged their military and tribal units to deploy along plateau regions and eastern borders preparing defense lines.
They stressed they would not allow chaotic scenarios seen elsewhere in Yemen’s provinces repeat in their region. The Tribal Coalition condemned Emirati-backed militants’ movements toward Hadhramaut and called upon Riyadh for urgent intervention “to prevent an explosion” in tensions.
The coalition also warned it might extend fighting from plateau areas into mukalla city itself and also STC-held coastal zones within Hamdrahmout.
The united Arab Emirates ordered its aligned Transitional Council forces to implement a strategy aimed at controlling key oil plateaus by cutting off supply routes from Saudi Arabia. This plan reportedly includes launching internal operations targeting vital infrastructure across Wadi Hadramawt valley as well as roads leading to desert areas within the province.
According to local sources, al-hadrami has sought support among desert tribal sheikhs controlling roadways linking directly toward saudi borders.
Simultaneously, Emirati special mercenary units have recalled their military personnel from Aden, Abyan, and Shabwah provinces ahead of new missions deep inside Hadramaout.
This unfolds amid evident confusion within Yemen’s Aden-based puppet government which has so far responded only by dismissing Mubahoot bin Madi-the governor loyal to UAE-and appointing salem al-Khanbashi-former deputy prime minister-as his replacement governor for Hadramaut.
However, this move appears insufficient for containing or resolving the ongoing crisis.
