Video: Protests erupt in Bab al-Mandab area Over deteriorating living conditions

TAIZ, Aug. 02 (YPA) – Residents of Al-Hariqiyah in Dhubab al-Mandab district of Taiz province, an area controlled by UAE-backed forces, staged angry protests over the worsening economic and humanitarian situation and the lack of basic public services.

According to local sources, demonstrators blocked the strategic coastal highway linking Mocha and Aden, burning tires to disrupt traffic in protest against the Saudi-backed Aden government’s failure to address their daily hardships and legitimate demands.

The protesters escalated after forces affiliated with Tariq Saleh, nephew of former president, Ali Abdullah Selah, opened live fire to disperse the crowd.

Video footage circulated by local sources showed security personnel firing toward protesters, who responded by standing their ground, baring their chests and chanting for the forces to shoot at our chests in defiance of what they described as ongoing repression.

They called for urgent action to address the economic collapse and improve essential services, including electricity, water, healthcare, education, and road infrastructure.

The participants also demanded solutions to the grievances of local fishermen, who say they face restrictions and are being deprived of their livelihoods.

Residents stressed that despite Al-Hariqiyah’s strategic location overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the area has long suffered from deliberate neglect and marginalization, pledging to continue their protests until their basic rights are met.

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