Protests in Aden move toward Maashiq Palace amid extreme heatwave

ADEN, June 09 (YPA) – Residents of Aden are planning to shift their ongoing protests toward the vicinity of Maashiq Palace in the Crater district, where the Saudi-backed Aden government is based, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Activists reported that security forces have carried out a large deployment across Crater, accompanied by the closure of roads leading to Maashiq Palace, in an effort to restrict access as demonstrations move closer to the area.

They said the planned protests will converge near the presidential compound, alongside calls for widespread civil disobedience in response to deteriorating living conditions, prolonged electricity outages, and the broader collapse of basic services.

Protesters accused the Presidential Leadership Council and the Saudi-backed government of failing to respond to repeated appeals to address the worsening crisis, particularly electricity cuts that have exceeded 17 hours per day.

Activists also shared footage they said showed demonstrations near a coalition-linked military site in the Brega area, calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Aden.

The worsening power crisis has also triggered political criticism, including remarks by Fadel al-Jaadi, a former official in the dissolved Southern Transitional Council based in Riyadh, who described Aden as “a forgotten city under the sun,” saying prolonged blackouts in extreme heat have made living conditions unbearable.

He added that homes in the city have become “like ovens,” with children and the elderly most affected, and criticized authorities for inaction, warning against what he described as the exploitation of civilian suffering.

Aden and other areas under the control of the Saudi-backed administration continue to face a prolonged electricity and services crisis, which intensifies during the summer amid a lack of lasting solutions.

AA