Saudi-funded factions takes over Hadramout’s al-Wadiah border crossing

HADRAMOUT, Aug. 24 (YPA) – The Saudi-funded armed factions have taken control of the Al-Wadiah border crossing in Hadramout province, eastern Yemen.

Military sources familiar with the matter revealed that Saudi Arabia may transfer two brigades from the so-called Dare al-Watan forces loyal to the head of the coalition-backed Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, to tighten its control over the oil fields in the Hadramout Plateau, after militants of the name of Hadramout Tribal Alliance has surrounded them since the beginning of this month.

The sources explained that Saudi Arabia had rejected the deployment of the UAE-funded “Hadrami Elite” factions in the Hadramout Valley and Desert districts to secure Al-Abr Road crossing and Al-Wadiah Port during the past months due to the political and military considerations.

In the coming weeks, Saudi Arabia may head towards deploying Dare al-Watan forces in the coastal district, which is taking control of the factions loyal to the UAE that prevented those forces from entering Mukalla city, the province’s center, in early January.

Hadramout is witnessing a hidden conflict between Saudi Arabia and the UAE through tribal components and armed factions, amid Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to control the oil fields after its control of the coastal districts in the province, including Al-Rayyan Airport and Al-Dabbah oil port, since 2016.

The UAE is expected to push the Hadrami Elite factions to limit the Saudi-funded Dare al-Watan forces from reaching Mukalla, with the repeated attempts by Saudi Arabia to establish a foothold on the coasts of Hadramout overlooking the Arabian Sea.

AA