Yemen Monitor / Shabwah / Exclusive:
Following the chaos and weapons looting that took place at army camps in Mukalla, Hadramawt (eastern Yemen) last January, forces loyal to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Shabwah Governorate (southeastern Yemen) have carried out a sudden withdrawal and opened military camps to looting and the smuggling of military equipment.
In a surprise move, the dismissed commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Aseel bin Rashid—a figure close to Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the now-dissolved STC—withdrew from his camp in the city of Azzan and all security checkpoints in the cities of “Azzan” and “Joul al-Rida” in the Mayfa’a district, extending to the road connecting Shabwah and Hadramawt.
An official document issued by Joint Operations revealed that the brigade was subjected to large-scale looting of military equipment and weapons, which were then moved toward the “Remah” area in northern Hadramawt near the Saudi border—a vast, sprawling desert region. The document included directives to seize any looted equipment or weapons from the 4th Infantry Brigade, noting attempts to smuggle them into Al-Mahrah and neighboring governorates.
According to private sources, the newly appointed commander has not yet taken over the brigade’s headquarters despite the withdrawal of STC-loyal forces. Sources allege that Governor Awadh bin Al-Wazir al-Awlaqi was complicit in the former commander’s rebellion since the decision to replace him was issued by Presidential Leadership Council member Abu Zara’a al-Mahrami in early March.
The sources explained that Governor bin Al-Wazir did not play any role in supporting the new commander in assuming his duties or in pressuring Brigadier General bin Rashid to accept his dismissal. Furthermore, he allowed bin Rashid to remain and position himself in the “Al-Kharama Camp” in Azzan after withdrawing from the Arin area, effectively preventing the new commander from taking office.
Shabwah Police announced that security forces have deployed to the checkpoints and sites previously occupied by the withdrawing forces. They stated that the deployment came under the direction of Governor bin Al-Wazir, despite the presence of a force led by the appointee, Saleh al-Mansouri, in the Al-Alam area on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Ataq.
Bin Rashid refused to hand over assets, vehicles, and the brigade headquarters to the new commander, Al-Mansouri (an officer from the Giants Brigade), for over a month. This continued until a warrant for his forcible arrest was issued on April 21 by the military prosecution in Aden due to his rebellion. He also faces charges regarding his participation in the attack on Hadramawt, including raiding private homes and conducting widespread arrests and looting in Wadi Hadramawt.
Activists have raised concerns that the looted weapons will cause security chaos in Shabwah, which is currently experiencing sharp tensions due to the STC’s insistence on instigating clashes. The province previously witnessed bloody events on February 11, resulting in deaths and injuries among STC supporters and security forces.
Activists believe that what happened in Mukalla—where army and security efforts to track looted weapons resulted in the seizure of large quantities—might repeat in Shabwah, amid talk of the STC reorganizing with UAE support.
