Protesters block roads in central Aden
ADEN, May 18 (YPA) – Angry protesters blocked key roads in the Al-Salam neighborhood of Khormaksar district, Aden, in protest against the Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) crackdown on demonstrators and its suppression of peaceful protests.
According to eyewitnesses, the situation escalated after security forces prevented protesters from chanting their demands, leading them to block key roads in the area in response.
This came after a massive demonstration on Saturday afternoon at Al-Oroudh Square in the same district, where thousands of citizens gathered to voice their deep frustration over the continued decline in living conditions, deteriorating public services, and the worsening economic collapse affecting residents.
Demonstrators held up banners demanding immediate and far-reaching solutions to the worsening crisis in essential services, especially persistent electricity blackouts and water scarcity.
They also chanted slogans opposing the STC, expressing their anger over the deteriorating conditions and calling for justice and tangible improvements to their living standards.
They emphasized that the ongoing crises now represent a direct threat to their daily lives and overall stability.
During the protest, eyewitnesses reported that the STC security forces violently assaulted demonstrator. They used live ammunition and DShK machine gun fire to disperse protestors, turning the peaceful protest into a scene of chaos and panic.
Participants condemned the attacks, calling them an oppressive attempt to silence their voices and prevent them from demanding their essential rights.
The protesters called for immediate and decisive action from all relevant parties, urging the Saudi-led coalition-backed government and the STC to fulfill their responsibilities toward the citizens and urgently address the ongoing depreciation of the local currency, as well as ensure the stability of essential commodity prices, which have become a significant burden on the population.
@E.Y.M