Grieving mother exposes plight of southern recruits in Saudi-backed factions

Last updated Sep 30, 2026 1:36 AM

LAHJ, Sept. 30 (YPA) – A shocking audio recording by a grieving mother from Yemen’s southern governorates has shed light on the tragic reality faced by hundreds of families whose sons have been sent to fight alongside Saudi-backed forces against Sanaa forces.

The mother bitterly described how young men from the southern governorates are being exploited because of their dire living conditions and severe economic hardship, recruited and sent into combat without training or protection in return for 1,000 Saudi riyals.

She likened the recruitment and mass transport of young men to herding livestock.

The audio testimony, which circulated on social media in recent hours, claimed that recruits in Saudi-backed factions are being shot from behind during clashes.

Families then face another ordeal in how the remains are returned: victims’ bodies are allegedly loaded onto open trucks, while dozens more are left along roadsides for extended periods along the Western Coast.

The grieving mother, who is believed to be from Lahj, also exposed Riyadh-based officials for ‘trading in the blood’ of southern youth. Describing these leaders as ‘traitors,’ she asserted that despite selling out the recruits, the officials themselves are subjected to daily humiliation by Saudis.

The mother questioned who the sons of the south are really fighting for and who stands to benefit from sending young men to the front lines. She noted that officials and their sons live comfortably in Riyadh, while urging families not to let their children be drawn into fighting for war profiteers.

The mother questioned who the sons of the South are really fighting for and who stands to benefit from sending young men to the front lines.

She pointed out that high-ranking officials and their families live luxurious lives in Riyadh while young recruits are sent to the front lines. She urged parents across the region not to let their sons be drawn into fighting for war profiteers.

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