Defense Minister: All Military Formations Are Operating Under a Unified Vision, and Our Goal Is to End the Coup
Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:
Defense Minister Lieutenant General Taher Al-Oqaili affirmed that the Ministry of Defense has made significant progress in restructuring the armed forces and unifying military institutions over the past four months. He stated that the ministry has succeeded in consolidating most of the administrative, financial, and military departments that had been operating separately as a result of divisions and accumulated challenges from previous years.
In an interview with journalist Osama Adel on the program Yemen Podcast, Al-Oqaili said that the ministry inherited a complex institutional situation, including duplicate administrations for several key departments such as finance, supply, operations, and logistics. However, since assuming office on February 6, efforts have led to the unification of between 80 and 90 percent of these institutions.
He explained that one of the most notable achievements has been the creation of a unified database for the armed forces across the country, along with the adoption of a smart card system and biometric identification to regulate personnel records and eliminate duplicate employment and inactive personnel listings.
Al-Oqaili added that the military biometric registration project has reached an advanced stage, exceeding 90 percent completion, and is being implemented simultaneously across various military regions and formations, including the West Coast, Marib, Aden, and Hadramawt. The initiative aims to establish a unified electronic system linking salaries, attendance, and military discipline to a central database.
The defense minister also noted that the ministry has addressed cases of individuals holding both civilian and military positions, submitting lists of such cases to the Ministry of Civil Service. He said that thousands of cases have been corrected, while more than 12,000 active soldiers have been registered to replace long-standing cases of desertion and absenteeism.
Al-Oqaili revealed that the ministry is working to transfer nearly one-quarter of the army’s personnel, who are no longer combat-ready, into welfare or retirement systems. This includes elderly personnel, individuals with medical conditions, fallen soldiers, and those with disabilities, as part of efforts to reorganize the military’s effective fighting force.
Regarding the various military formations operating in the country, the defense minister stressed that all military components are now working toward a unified objective: restoring the state and ending the coup. He pointed to daily and direct coordination among these formations through the Joint Operations Authority and the Higher Military Committee.
He explained that the full integration of the different military formations will require time, training programs, and rehabilitation efforts to ensure cohesion among the various units. He emphasized that the current priority is the unification of senior leadership, military decision-making, and national military doctrine, while continuing institutional cooperation among all formations under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense.
Al-Oqaili acknowledged that some parties affected by the reform measures may attempt to resist change. Nevertheless, he affirmed that the ministry remains committed to implementing its plans to strengthen oversight bodies, military inspection mechanisms, and the military judiciary, while reinforcing discipline and adherence to the rule of law within the armed forces.
He further stated that the new salary system will eventually rely on bank accounts and biometric verification, ensuring that financial entitlements are transferred directly to soldiers and officers and reducing the irregularities and abuses associated with the traditional payroll system in previous years.
