Shabwa: Looting erupts at STC’s camp following military mutiny in Mayfa’a

SHABWA, May 01 (YPA) – Widespread looting broke out on Friday at the warehouses of the “4th Infantry Brigade” affiliated with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) located in the Al-Khurma area of Mayfa’a district in Shabwa province, eastern Yemen.

The chaos, involving both soldiers and local citizens, erupted following a sharp escalation between Saudi-backed military leadership and the brigade’s commander, Asil bin Rashid.

The unrest was triggered by an arrest warrant issued against Bin Rashid on charges of mutiny and defying “superior orders” after he refused to hand over military equipment and command to his Saudi-appointed successor, Saleh Al-Mansour.

In response, the Saudi commander in Shabwa, Muslih Al-Otaibi, deployed a military campaign—comprising “Dera Al-Watan” and emergency units—to seize control of the camp in Azzan and apprehend the brigade’s leadership.

While the current whereabouts of Bin Rashid remain unknown after he fled the facility, the situation highlights a deepening rift within the ranks. This incident follows a previous standoff in March, during which brigade personnel rejected calls to abandon Bin Rashid and join Saudi-affiliated forces in the provincial capital, Ataq.

YPA