Saudi Delegation Holds Meetings in Hadramawt to Consolidate Calm and Empower Locals to Govern Their Affairs
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
A high-level Saudi delegation led by Major General Dr. Mohammed bin Ubaid Al-Qahtani held a series of extensive meetings on Friday with local authority leaders in Hadramawt, along with tribal and parliamentary figures. The meetings are part of a visit that began on December 3, aimed at supporting de-escalation efforts, strengthening security, and enabling the people of Hadramawt to run their own institutions.
According to the local authority’s website, the meetings included the Shura Council bloc led by Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Kathiri, the Hadrami Parliamentary Bloc headed by Sheikh Saleh bin Salem Al-Amri, as well as a session with the Hadramawt Tribal Reference (Marjaiyah) and sheikhs and notables from the valley and desert districts.
Major General Al-Qahtani said the meetings fall within the Kingdom’s efforts to contain the crisis and impose calm among various actors, stressing that Riyadh’s position is rooted in historical, humanitarian, and geographic ties with Hadramawt. He praised the stance of tribal and parliamentary leaders who chose to “prioritize reason and safeguard the security of the governorate while avoiding confrontation,” noting that such an approach is essential to preserving social cohesion and bolstering stability.
Al-Qahtani reaffirmed the Kingdom’s rejection of any armed formations operating outside the framework of the state and local authority in Hadramawt, underscoring Saudi support for enforcing security and enabling official institutions to fulfill their duties.
For his part, Hadramawt Governor Salem Ahmed Al-Khanbashi welcomed the Saudi delegation’s visit, describing it as “an added pillar of the fraternal relationship” between Hadramawt and the Kingdom.
He noted that the timing of the visit reflects Riyadh’s keenness to support the governorate amid ongoing economic, service-related, and security challenges.
Local leaders expressed appreciation for the Saudi position, affirming that the Kingdom’s support serves as a “reassuring message” to residents—particularly after Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces entered the Hadramawt Valley.
They stressed that Hadramawt’s security is closely tied to that of the Kingdom, and that Saudi support constitutes an important step toward restoring stability.
The heads of the parliamentary bloc and the tribal reference reiterated that “placing Hadramis in charge of security agencies” is a key requirement for lasting stability, adding that the Kingdom’s efforts during this sensitive period reflect its genuine commitment to the governorate’s security and stability.
STC forces had previously violated an agreement between the local authority and Hadramawt tribes—brokered by the Saudi delegation—by seizing sites assigned to protect oil companies on the Masila plateau, extending their control to oil fields as Hadrami tribal alliance forces withdrew.
STC forces also expanded their presence over several brigades in Hadramawt’s valley and desert regions, including the 11th Border Guard Brigade in Ramah and the 23rd Mechanized Brigade in Al-Abr.
