Activist exposes pro-coalition government’s involvement in issuing fraudulent passports

SHABWA, Feb. 02 (YPA) – A southern activist has exposed the involvement of the government loyal to Saudi-led coalition in issuing fraudulent passports to a number of fraudsters.

Activist Ali Al-Nasi explained in a post on Sunday that pro-coalition embassies issued passports carrying titles belonging to Shabwa Governorate, which are being used by individuals to carry out fraud and scams inside and outside Yemen.

He pointed out that the Yemeni embassy in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, renewed a passport issued from the city of Ataq, the center of Shabwa, for an individual from Marib named “Mohammed Hussein Ahmed Mahdi” (Passport No. 08243700).

The embassy added the surname “Al-Harithi” to his name, affiliating him with the Al-Harith tribes in Usailan district, Shabwa, without any documents proving the legitimacy of the title.

Al-Nasi stated that the embassy added the surname “Al-Harithi” to Mahdi’s passport, which he then used to commit fraud and scams, including swindling a citizen out of 100,000 Saudi Riyals.

He added that the individual remains at large after carrying out several fraud operations against a number of citizens.

Al-Nasi also noted that the Ataq Primary Court issued rulings in 2023 to add Shabwani “username” to several individuals, including women who were not originally from Shabwa.

Official travel documents were subsequently issued for them based on these rulings.

He called for an urgent investigation to uncover fraud networks and the role of courts, immigration, and passport authorities affiliated with the coalition in the southern governorates, as well as their facilitation of fraudsters’ activities.

@E.Y.M