Yemen Monitor / Seiyun / Exclusive:
Major General Faraj Salmin Al-Bahsani, STC-affiliated and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has launched a new phase of escalation in Hadramout governorate, by waging an unprecedented attack on the Hadramout Tribal Alliance (HTA) and its head, Sheikh Amr bin Habrish. He is providing political and military cover for forces brought in from outside the governorate under the banner of “counter-terrorism.”
In a video recording broadcast by media outlets affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and monitored by “Yemen Monitor” on Tuesday, Al-Bahsani deemed the actions of the Hadramout Tribal Alliance to be an “exit from state institutions and an armed rebellion,” describing the tribesmen’s seizure of areas within the “Petromasila” oil company as a “condemnable terrorist and subversive act.”
He stated: “This subversive and terrorist act… this reckless, barbaric, coup-plotting, rebellious act carried out by Amr bin Habrish and those with him.”
Al-Bahsani holds the position of Vice President of the STC in addition to his role as a member of the PLC and is the former Governor of Hadramout.
In response to widespread popular and tribal anger toward the deployment of military forces from outside Hadramout (a reference to the Support and Reinforcement brigades coming from Al Dhale and Yafa), the Yemeni official provided political and military cover for the UAE-backed STC forces entering the governorate under the banner of “counter-terrorism.”
In televised statements Al-Bahsani said: “Some citizens are asking about the usefulness and mission of some forces entering from outside the governorate… We want to assure everyone that the mission of this force is to combat terrorism.”
He added: “The forces came after terrorist personnel of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and also groups of Houthis appeared in the Valley… It was necessary to deal with them, and that is why this force came to address this situation.”
Al-Bahsani held Sheikh Amr bin Habrish (First Undersecretary of the Governorate and head of the HTA) directly responsible for the electricity outages in the coast and valley cities, noting that the prevention of fuel from leaving the oil facility led to the disruption of public life.
Hadramout is witnessing unprecedented tension following the STC’s push of massive military reinforcements toward the oil-rich “Valley and Desert” areas, which are under the control of the 1st Military Region (loyal to the legitimate government). The HTA had deployed its armed men in the oil plateau and halted work at the “Petromasila” company as a “pressure card” to prevent the advance of those forces, demanding that the people of the governorate be empowered to manage their affairs, both security and administrative.
