Military commander joins tribal protests in Al-Hadba Camp in Hadramout

HADRAMOUT, Aug. 14 (YPA) -A military leader of in the Second Military Region, affiliated with Saudi-led coalition, in the city of Mukalla, Hadramout province, has joined the tribal protests against local authorities at the Al-Hadba camp near the  oil fields in Al-Masila.

In recent hours, activists from Hadramout circulated a photo showing Brigadier General Mohamed Omar Awad Al-Yemeni, military commander of the Second Military Region, alongside the head of the Saudi-affiliated “Hadramout Tribal Alliance,” Amr bin Habrish, and Sheikh Salem Al-Gharabi Al-Hamoumi at the tribal protest camp in Al-Hadba.

The protesters are demanding an end to the local authority’s control, transparency in handling Hadramout’s revenues, and decisions made in consultation with tribal representatives.

Some considered Al-Yemeni’s presence with bin Habrish and the tribal leaders as a sign of a split from the pro- coalition government due to its delays in addressing Hadramout’s demands.

While others believed that his visit was made in his tribal capacity as a member of the Al-Yemeni tribe, without a formal declaration of separation from the pro-coalition government.

“Brigadier General Mohamed Omar Awad Al-Yemeni’s participation in the tribal protests against local authorities’ conflicts with his military role,” they said, adding that he could have sent another representative from his tribe instead.

Hadramout tribes are preparing to escalate their actions by seizing control of oil facilities in Al-Dabba and reopening Al-Riyan Airport, which has been closed to civilian flights since early 2016.

This comes after they surrounded the oil sectors managed by “PetroMasil” last week, due to the intransigence of the head of the Saudi-formed “Presidential Leadership Council”, Rashad Al-Alimi and pro-coalition government in addressing the demands of the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and the Hadramout Comprehensive Conference.

@E.Y.M