Aden’s Security File: Can Efforts Succeed in Dismantling a Decade of Emirati Control and Creating a Foothold for the Government?

Yemen Monitor / Reports Unit / Special Report:

The interim capital, Aden (southwestern Yemen), is experiencing an ambiguous security situation. Despite more than a month passing since the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), the flight of its leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi, and the exit of its backer, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from Yemen, the security landscape remains fragile.

This instability forced the government to take the constitutional oath today in Riyadh, a move that shocked Yemeni observers. Many view the government’s continued presence outside the capital—despite these major shifts—as an indicator of its inability to reorganize Aden’s security.

Over the past month, despite the appointment of a new governor and increased military and security meetings, citizens have seen little change on the ground. Authorities have failed to reveal the fate of the forcibly disappeared, and plans to move military camps out of the city have stalled, resulting only in a “re-positioning” of forces.

The primary challenge remains the government’s return to the capital to launch the battle against the Houthi group to reclaim Sana’a. Questions now loom over the ability of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and the Saudi-led Coalition to dismantle a decade of Emirati influence, which established security and military formations that long challenged state authority.

Aden: A Complex Security File and a Complicated Legacy

The UAE has controlled Aden’s security file since its liberation in 2015, forming the Security Belt forces early on. With the establishment of the STC led by Aidarous al-Zubaidi in 2017, the council became the UAE’s local operational front, and military and security formations were brought under its umbrella. Its influence expanded, acquiring political, diplomatic, administrative, media, and intelligence arms alongside its military and security power, effectively becoming a parallel state within the temporary capital of the internationally recognized government.

Since the changes that struck the STC and led to the expulsion of the UAE at the beginning of this year, the government and the coalition have adopted a policy of containment toward the security and military apparatuses. Changes in the security sector were limited to renaming the Security Belt forces as the National Security Forces, based on directives issued by Presidential Council member Abdulrahman al-Muharrami on January 19. Two days later, the advisor to the commander of the Joint Forces, Major General Falah al-Shahrani—present in Aden—announced that Saudi Arabia would pay the salaries of the Security Belt forces through Al-Qutaibi Bank, using the same mechanisms and amounts previously paid by the UAE. Since these measures, the security file has remained unchanged in its divisions and leadership.

Political analyst Abdulraqib al-Hadyani told Yemen Monitor that containment was chosen because “the head of the project is gone,” and immediate exclusion could spark a rebellion. However, he warned that open-ended containment in Aden represents a “strategic danger” to the state’s sovereignty.

Requirements for Stability in Aden

Security leadership in Aden has remained largely unchanged for ten years. Many figures involved in past violations and the management of “secret prisons” remain in their posts. Al-Hadyani warns that recycling these leaders is a “time bomb” that could undermine Saudi efforts.

“There are still over 60 people forcibly disappeared, and the file of assassinations remains open. The UAE still holds leverage over these leaders and could activate them at any moment.” — Abdulraqib al-Hadyani

Between Seiyun and Aden: A Warning Bell

The sabotage incidents that occurred in Seiyun, in Wadi Hadramawt (eastern Yemen), on February 6—when demonstrators loyal to the dissolved STC attempted to storm Seiyun Airport and the Republican Palace, leading to clashes with security forces and facility guards—serve as a warning bell against lenient handling of security files, according to analyst al-Hadyani.

Al-Hadyani told Yemen Monitor that the storming of Seiyun Palace and the entry of armed men were the result of a lax security situation and half-measures, stressing that these forces cannot be part of the solution. He believes that the return of the legitimate government to Aden must be accompanied by radical changes and new security measures, while containing rebellion and chaos away from the capital.

For his part, journalist Amin Barfayed wrote an assessment of the situation in Seiyun, stating: “The state of popular unrest and escalation in the city of Seiyun in Wadi Hadramawt is a natural result of the continued causes of the crisis without fundamental treatment.”

He pointed out that reliance on gray or corrupt leadership and hesitation in making change decisions gave opponents fuel to mobilize against the state and the coalition. He warned against the “Nation’s Shield” forces sliding into direct confrontations with demonstrators, emphasizing that the way out lies in real administrative and service reforms rather than a policy of hesitation.

The Forcibly Disappeared: The Real Test of Security Changes

Dozens of families are still searching for their forcibly disappeared relatives and continue to hold protests. Most recently, on Sunday, February 8, families of the disappeared gathered in front of the Arab Coalition headquarters in Aden. The protest, during which photos of the disappeared were raised, demanded the implementation of presidential directives and the disclosure of the fate of approximately 60 disappeared individuals from Aden, held in prisons previously run by the Security Belt and formations affiliated with the dissolved, UAE-backed STC. For a month now, families have received no real response from the authorities or security agencies toward resolving the issue.

The presidential directive issued in mid-January ordered the closure of all illegal prisons and detention centers in governorates under government control and the immediate release of detainees held outside the framework of the law. This came as part of a broader path mentioned by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi to restore state sovereignty and respect human rights.

The head of the Mothers of the Abducted Association, Amat al-Salam al-Haj, told Yemen Monitor that the forcibly disappeared in Aden have not yet been located and that there is still no information about them, confirming the continuation of protests and demands.

She added that there has been some response from local authorities, but not at the required level, expressing concern about the erasure of evidence related to secret prisons and torture tools. She called for uncovering the truth, achieving justice, and holding those involved accountable, affirming the continuation of protests—most recently a vigil in front of the coalition headquarters demanding intervention to reveal the fate of the disappeared.