Saudi-backed forces storm Seiyun court in armed bid to free detainee

HADRAMOUT, Jan. 19 (YPA) – A military commander affiliated with the Saudi-funded so-called “Emergency Forces” stormed on Monday the courthouse in the city of Seiyun, the administrative center of Wadi Hadramout.

A local source familiar with the matter described the move as a flagrant armed assault aimed at forcibly releasing a detainee.

The source, the officer—who belongs to the Emergency Forces that Saudi Arabia recently has deployed to the Wadi Hadramout—forced his way through the court’s main gate while carrying weapons and hand grenades, attempting to extract a prisoner at gunpoint. While court’s security guards initially succeeded in expelling him from the building.

However, the situation was rapidly escalated when the officer returned shortly afterward accompanied by military reinforcements, including armed men and vehicles.

The force imposed a tight security cordon around the courthouse before storming it and issuing direct threats against judges and court employees, in what was described as a serious violation of judicial independence and the rule of law.

In response, the Seiyun Court announced the suspension of all court sessions in protest over the attack, while judges and administrative staff evacuated the building to ensure their safety.

Some sources further confirmed that the court’s administration documented the incident in an official report, endorsed by the Public Prosecution, and submitted it to the Saudi-aligned local authorities, demanding accountability for those responsible and the provision of adequate protection for judicial institutions.

The attack has intensified growing public concern in Hadramout over the recurrence of such unprecedented violations, which many fear pose a grave threat to public order and the integrity of the judicial system in the province.

AA