Hadramowt Valley Under STC’s Control: Widespread Violations, Mass Arrests, and Plunder of Homes
Yemen Monitor / Hadramowt / Exclusive:
Forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) committed widespread violations during their takeover of the cities in Hadramowt Valley (eastern Yemen) today, Wednesday, amidst a state of intense fear among the population.
Local sources reported that dozens of homes were raided and looted by armed men affiliated with the STC. At the same time, a campaign of arrests targeting civilians was witnessed in the city of Seiyun, the largest city in the valley. Furthermore, the homes of military personnel who had sought refuge there after receiving orders not to resist were also stormed.
Yemeni journalist Fares Al-Himyari stated in a post that an STC force raided the homes of several officers who belong to the northern governorates, and some of them were detained. Cases of looting were also recorded at a number of commercial shops and private cars belonging to government employees in several facilities that were seized.
According to human rights sources, preliminary information continues to pour in rapidly, amid great fears experienced by the residents as a result of the ongoing violations since the STC forces entered Hadramowt Valley.
Local sources added that hundreds of soldiers in the First Military Region face an unknown fate, noting that a large number of them were arrested inside the halls of Seiyun Airport, including military leaders from Hadramowt and others who were arrested from the headquarters of brigades that had ceased fighting.
According to the sources, STC forces stormed the homes of a number of commanders and looted them completely, while the commander of the 101st Air Police Brigade, who is from Hadramowt, was arrested. Dozens of soldiers also fled outside the cities, and their fate remains unknown.
Local sources reported that the clashes witnessed at the headquarters of the First Military Region resulted in the killing of 20 soldiers and dozens of wounded, most of them from the 135th Brigade. The fate of the bodies and the wounded remains unknown.
Activists circulated video recordings showing wounded soldiers lying unattended, one of them shouting, “Either treat me or finish me off,” while the STC soldiers showed no concern.
The sudden collapse of the military units of the First Military Region and government institutions created a state of chaos. Many soldiers were subjected to humiliating practices and hundreds of prisoners face an ambiguous fate. Despite the STC announcing their release in a statement, observers believe this was merely for media consumption.
