Participation of the STC in Hadramawt Valley Executive Meeting Sparks Objections as “Elite Forces” Deploy Without Governor’s Coordination
Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:
The Executive Office of Hadramawt Valley and Desert held an extraordinary meeting on Sunday to discuss efforts to normalize the situation and strengthen stability. The meeting was attended by Deputy Governors Eng. Hisham Al-Saidi and Abdulhadi Al-Tamimi, along with Southern Transitional Council (STC) leaders Ali Al-Kathiri, head of the National Assembly, and Fadi Baoum, a member of the STC Presidency.
According to journalist Amin Barfaid, the meeting witnessed objections from Executive Office members over the attendance of STC leaders without prior notification to the deputy governors or department directors.
Sources said Deputy Governor Amer Al-Amri had called for the meeting without disclosing the participation of the STC delegation, prompting attendees to question why they were not informed and why the meeting was not held separately with STC representatives. They viewed the move as an attempt to impose a “victor’s mindset” rather than operate within a framework of political partnership or state institutions.
Meanwhile, the STC deployed additional military reinforcements from the Hadramawt Coast under the name of the Hadrami Elite Forces, without coordinating with Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi.
The Second Military Region, which commands the Hadrami Elite Forces, stated that a force had been dispatched to Hadramawt Valley to help stabilize security, protect residents, and support ongoing efforts to secure the region. The statement made no mention of coordinating with the governor.
Governor Al-Khanbashi had previously said in an interview with Al Arabiya and Al Hadath channels that forces arriving from outside Hadramawt must leave the Valley, emphasizing that there were already sufficient military and security units to secure the governorate.
The developments come amid accusations against the STC of exploiting its control over the Second Military Region and its commander, Talib Bargash, to pursue unilateral steps that contradict local demands—specifically, calls for the withdrawal of external forces from Hadramawt before any reinforcements from the Elite Forces or security units are sent to the Valley to support existing army and security forces.
