Saudi Arabia sparks armed conflict between ‘Mahra and Hadramaut’ tribes in Al-Kharkhir
MAHRA, Feb. 03 (YPA) – Armed clashes resumed on Tuesday between Saudi-backed “Dera Al-Watan” forces and the Al-Manahil tribe in the border areas between Hadramout and Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen.
Sources familiar with matter reported that fighting broke out in the Kharkhir area, in which both sides used a range of medium and heavy weapons.
Fighters from the Samoudah tribe, backed by “Dera Al-Watan” forces, clashed with members of the Al-Manahil tribe, administratively part of Hadramout, resulting in several injuries.
The sources indicated that the clashes followed a Saudi-backed escalation that began on Monday.
Tribal fighters from Al-Manahil imposed a tight siege on “Dera Al-Watan” forces’ outposts in Kharkhir, located in the Rub’ al Khali desert, in response to earlier tensions.
Similar confrontations occurred in mid-January when the Al-Manahil tribe established military positions on lands claimed by the Samoudah tribe in Mahra, leaving multiple wounded.
Observers say the ongoing conflict between the two tribes is rooted in a struggle for control over desert areas containing Saudi-established oil facilities in Yemen.
The tensions escalated further after Saudi forces detained several members of “Dera Al-Watan” following their appearance in a video near massive oil tanks in the Yemeni desert.
The tribe accused Saudi Arabia of stealing and plundering the oil from Hadramout.
The border deserts of Hadramaut and Mahra remain a flashpoint, with tribal disputes, oil projects, and military presence amid claims that Saudi Arabia is fueling the conflict.
@E.Y.M