Saudi Arabia bans Hadi’s Minister of State to leave Riyadh

MAHRAH, May 1 (YPA) – Saudi authorities have imposed restrictions on Mohammed Abdullah Keda, Minister of State in the exiled Hadi government, effectively preventing him from leaving Riyadh, the Al-Arabi al-Youm newspaper reported on Tuesday

According to the newspaper, Bin Keda, former governor of al-Mahrah province, has contacted other leaders in the coalition-backed puppet government, complaining that he is being prevented from leaving Riyadh.

Bin Keda has been in Saudi Arabia for three months, after has had been summoned by Hadi, but has not received any explanation as to why these restrictions have been imposed on his departure back to Yemen.

A local source close to the minister said that the Saudi authorities turned him back from the airport and banned his travel outside the kingdom.

Mohammed Abdullah bin Keda was sacked by Hadi from his post as Governor of al-Mahrah Province and was appointed as Minister of State in the Government of mercenaries in November 2017, after bin Kedah had reportedly expressed his opposition the presence of Saudi Arabia in the eastern province of Yemen.

For several months, Mahrah province has been witnessing protests condemning the Saudi military presence that has increased in the last two years. The Saudi presence has been strengthened despite the fact that Mahrah is not in the frontlines of the ongoin war, leading many to believe the Saudis are planning to take over the province completely in order to facilitate the export of petroleum to the Arabian Sea.

The crisis still continues despite the mediation that took place to shut down the opposing voices against the influence of Riyadh. The Saudi government seeks to implement its own special agenda of extending an oil pipeline to the coast, straight through the Yemeni border province with the Sultanate of Oman.

Mohammed bin Keda, a prominent figure in Mahrah, is widely accepted and liked by the province’s public, and Riyadh fears his return could lead to an escalation of protests that have been raging in the province for nearly a year.

E.M