HADRAMOUT, March 20 (YPA) – The so-called Saudi-backed Hadramout Tribal Alliance is planning to reinforce its fighters with new factions in the western city of Mukalla, the provincial capital of province, which is under coalition control.
Sources familiar with the matter said that the Alliance has recruited thousands of tribesmen over the past few months, indicating that it would deploy the so-called “Second Brigade” of the Hadramout Protection Forces west of Mukalla.
“The alliance is intensifying its armed presence by encircling the districts under the control of the Emirati factions to prevent the flow of oil.”
The sources added that the Alliance’s reinforcements aimed to prevent any new Southern Transitional Council (STC) factions from entering coastal districts controlled by Emirati factions in the coming weeks.
They noted that the armed reinforcements came in response to threats from Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the STC, who objected to the tribal alliance’s recruitment of the so-called “Hadramout Protection Force” near the coastal areas with Saudi funding.
This came after Saudi Arabia summoned the head of the tribal alliance, Amr bin Habrish, on board a Saudi Air Force plane.
AA