Arrests of Yemeni sheikh in Cairo sparks tribal tension, threats of frontline withdrawal

CAIRO, Sept. 26 (YPA) – Egyptian security forces in Cairo have detained Yemeni investor and tribal prominent figure Issam Hazzaa al-Subeihi and taken him to an undisclosed location, allegedly at the request of Saudi intelligence authorities.

In a video statement broadcast on Saturday, Bakil al-Subeihi, the son of the detained tribal leader, stated that a security unit took his father into custody on Thursday evening ahead of potential deportation to the southern port city of Aden.

Official appeals have called on Egyptian authorities to halt the extradition process and allow his transfer to a safe, neutral third country, citing concerns over enforced disappearance or extrajudicial harm in Aden facilities, where he was previously detained in May 2024 before his eventual release.

The news has sparked widespread anger among elders of the Al-Subeiha tribes. Tribal leaders expressed firm rejection of the detention, threatening to withdraw their fighters from active combat frontlines unless Sheikh al-Subeihi is immediately released and actions targeting regional notables cease.

YPA