UPDATE - Yemeni government announces control of Hadramaut’s desert, valley region after STC’s withdrawal

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS; REVISES HEADLINE, LEDE, DECK

By Mohammed Sameai and Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Yemeni government on Saturday announced that its National Shield Forces has gained full control of the desert and valley region in the eastern Hadhramaut province, adding that the forces are now moving toward the coastal districts of the governorate.

The announcement came in a statement issued by the Hadhramaut local authority and published on its social media accounts. There was no immediate comment from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces.

According to the statement, Hadhramaut Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi declared the successful completion of operations to secure military camps in the desert and valley region.

He said National Shield Forces completed their deployment at all vital sites, fully securing Seiyun International Airport as well as sovereign and service facilities across the Hadhramaut desert and valley region.

The governor noted that the forces began moving toward the Hadhramaut coast to carry out their national duties of establishing security, securing vital and sovereign facilities, protecting public and private property, and safeguarding citizens and their assets.

Al-Khanbashi added that the local authority has already begun implementing a comprehensive normalization plan to ensure the continuity of services and public life in the desert and valley region.

For its part, tribal forces loyal to the Yemeni government in Hadhramaut said they have secured the presidential palace in the city of Seiyun.

The Hadhramaut Protection Forces, affiliated with the Hadhramaut Tribes Alliance, said in a video statement that they have “secured the presidential palace in Seiyun to protect it from any looting.”

The forces said they have informed the security administration of the Hadhramaut desert and valley region that the palace remains under their protection “until National Shield Forces arrive to take it over.”

The move marks a notable development, as the presidential palace is considered one of the most important sovereign sites in Hadhramaut and carries strong symbolic significance, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

Earlier, a Yemeni government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Anadolu that the government-affiliated National Shield Forces “succeeded in regaining control of Seiyun International Airport in the city of Seiyun.”

The source said the takeover came after the STC forces withdrew from the international airport, which it had shut down and turned into a military barracks after seizing it during its sudden military moves in early December.

The source provided no further details, while Yemeni media activists circulated videos showing a heavy presence of National Shield Forces inside Seiyun airport on Saturday morning.

The National Shield Forces were formed in 2023 with a decision from Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen's internationally recognized government, and operate under his command.

Hadhramaut is Yemen’s largest governorate by area, accounting for roughly one-third of the country’s total territory.

t is administratively divided into two parts: one comprising the coastal districts, with Mukalla as the largest city, and the other encompassing the Valley and Desert districts, with Seiyun as the largest city.

Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the same day of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. Abu Dhabi denied the accusation.

The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity.