Days after declaring self-rule... Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance announces formation of new military forces

The Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance announced on Wednesday the formation of new military forces under the name "Hadhramaut Protection Forces", outside the framework of state institutions, in a move that is considered a clear escalation days after it announced the opening of recruitment camps and demanded self-rule for the governorate.

The announcement was made by the alliance's president, Amr bin Habrish, following a meeting with civilian and military leaders in the province, where he justified the decision as "the public interest, consolidating security and stability, confronting terrorism and evil subversive entities, and protecting the nation's wealth."

According to the decision, Major General Mubarak Ahmed Al-Awbathani, the former Director General of Security and Police in the Valley and Desert, was appointed Commander of the Hadhramaut Protection Forces.

Last Saturday, the alliance announced the start of opening camps to recruit the governorate's sons, justifying this step as a response to what it described as the "procrastination and delay" of the Presidential Leadership Council in meeting Hadhramaut's demands.

In a speech he delivered during a tribal parade in the Hadhramaut Plateau, Bin Habrish confirmed that the funding of these forces will be from the governorate’s natural resources, with the establishment of a special fund to support vital institutions such as electricity.

He also stressed that the demand for self-rule has become an urgent necessity in light of the presidential leadership's disregard for the alliance's demands over the past five months.

It is noteworthy that the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance has escalated its movements during the past months by deploying armed points at the entrances to the governorate and in the oil field areas, demanding the protection of local wealth from looting.

These moves sparked mixed reactions within Hadrami society, with opinions divided between those who supported and opposed these steps, while the political leadership, represented by the Presidential Leadership Council and the government, remained silent regarding the recent escalation.