Political activist accuses Islah leaders of protecting robbery gangs in Taiz

TAIZ, Dec. 24 (YPA) – A political activist,  Mohamed Rashad al-Khatib accused al-Islah leaders of protecting robbery gangs in Taiz province, southwestern Yemen.

On a Facebook post, Al-Khatib recounted details of his motorcycle being stolen in Taiz, which was later found in a  shop in Shamayatayn District, along with dozens of stolen motorcycles .

Al-Khatib said he informed the Criminal Investigation Department and the Security Department in Taiz province, which in turn directed the security of the Police directorate to control the robbery gang and was seized with 24 stolen motorcycles.

Al-Khatib said he was surprised when he came to the Police Department to pick up his motorcycle and he saw one the gang members at  Qat session in the administration’s room along  the security personnel

He added that his bicycle was not found among the seizures, which prompted the director of criminal research at the directorate to shout at him and accuse him of lying in front of the gang members in order to expose him as the one who filed the complaint against them.

Al-Khatib revealed his contact with The Ta’izz Security Director Brig. Gen. Mansour al-Kohli and told him about what happened, to reply that he had nothing to do with what happened and that he had to “calm things down and solve the issue.”

Police Department in the district  had released the gang members despite their allegations that they had stolen more than 300 stolen motorcycles from Taiz in 2020 alone and confessed to stealing his motorcycle.

He stressed that the security department, which is under the control of the Islah, refused to send them to the search department in Taiz, but released the gang to the practice of stealing motorcycles” which currently cost about one million riyals for the bicycle.

The areas under the control of the Islah militias has been witnessing insecurity and repeated attacks on the property of citizens.

E.M