Aden government faces first rebellion of armed factions in southern Yemen

ADEN, Feb. 09 (YPA) – The Aden government headed by Shaya al-Zindani, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, announced on Sunday that it would face its first case of insubordination by armed groups in Yemen’s southern regions.

The newly appointed Minister of Legal Affairs, Ishraq al-Maqtari, stated in a post on her official account on the X platform on Sunday that Abu Bakr al-Jubuli, the commander of the Tur al-Baha Axis affiliated with the Islah Party, had prevented a team from the commission of investigation into allegations of human rights violations from visiting illegal detention facilities in areas under his control in Tur al-Baha and Al-Shamaytin, south of Taiz province.

Al-Maqtari said that al-Jubuli is accused of arbitrarily arresting and forcibly disappearing 42 individuals from areas of Al-Muqatarah and Al-Shamaytin, some of whom have reportedly been held in secret detention for more than three years.

She added that al-Jubuli refused direct orders from the Chief of Staff to cooperate with the investigation committee and facilitate its work in documenting alleged violations.

The incident came amid growing controversy over the existence of secret prisons, as several human rights activists argue that Saudi Arabia has failed to take a firm stance on the issue, despite serious and ongoing human rights violations. This follows Riyadh’s consolidation of control over Yemen’s southern and eastern regions.

Many observers have expressed pessimism about the prospects for ending the use of secret detention facilities, particularly after the southern and eastern regions of Yemen came under Saudi control following the expulsion of the United Arab Emirates from the country on December 30.

AA