Hadramout stands at dangerous crossroads amid Saudi-UAE proxy conflict
HADRAMOUT, Nov. 30 (YPA) – Hadramout stands at a dangerous crossroads after Saudi-backed tribal leader Amr bin Habrish triggered an unprecedented crisis by deploying his forces to storm and seize PetroMasila’s facilities in the Masila oil sector.
Bin Habrish’s fighters expelled units from the Second Military Region loyal to the Saudi-led coalition, dramatically upending the security and military balance in Yemen’s largest oil-producing province.
The escalation quickly shifted into an open political and military confrontation after Faraj al-Bahsani—a senior figure in the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and a member of the coalition-backed Presidential Leadership Council supported by the UAE—issued a strong warning to bin Habrish.
He demanded an immediate withdrawal, describing the move as a blatant assault, and stressed that the protection of oil facilities is the exclusive duty of officially assigned forces.
Al-Bahsani also warned local tribes against being drawn into personal adventures driven by narrow interests that could push Hadramout to the brink of an explosion.
Bin Habrish, however, defended the operation in a brief statement, claiming it was aimed at “enhancing the security of the facilities.”
Field sources reported details of the raid and scattered clashes, during which Major General Talib Barjash, commander of the Second Military Region, accused bin Habrish’s forces of attacking company-protection units and spilling the blood of their soldiers.
Barjash delivered the most forceful response yet, denouncing the assault as “direct sabotage” and a grave threat to regional stability.
He vowed firm action and stressed that “Hadhrami blood is not a card for political bargaining.”
Observers indicated that behind this escalation, a Saudi–Emirati equation of conflict over influence and wealth is coming to light.
Bin Habrish leans on tribal backing and the slogan “protecting the wealth,” with Saudi Arabia behind him, while Barjash and al-Bahsani rely on Emirati support — making the crisis a real confrontation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
Bin Habrish draws strength from tribal backing and the slogan of “protecting the wealth,” with Saudi Arabia standing behind him, while Barjash and al-Bahsani rely on Emirati support — turning the crisis into an actual confrontation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
For now, residents and oil-sector workers find themselves caught in the middle—paying the price for a Saudi-UAE power conflict that threatens to erode what remains of stability in Yemen’s most strategically vital province.
@E.Y.M