Saudi-Backed Militias Mobilize to Protect Oil Fields in Northern Hadhramaut
In response to a request for support from Hadhramaut tribes during a recent meeting in the Al-Aleeb area, Saudi Arabia dispatched a large convoy of Al-Dara’ Al-Watan forces, consisting of 200 military vehicles, to the city of Seiyun in northern Hadhramaut province.
This move aims to prevent a possible offensive by Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces against the Hadhramaut desert and the province’s oil-rich regions.
Al-Dara’ Al-Watan (Shield of the Nation) militias were formed in late November 2022 with Saudi backing and the involvement of Sagheer bin Aziz and Tariq Saleh. They were assembled from Hadhramaut tribal fighters, Yemen Al-Saeed forces (aligned with Sagheer bin Aziz), and elements of Tariq Saleh’s units in western Lahj province. Saudi Arabia has equipped these forces to counter the STC and secure control over Hadhramaut’s oil fields and ports.
Tensions between Hadhramaut tribes and STC factions stationed along the province’s southern coast are escalating as both sides mobilize reinforcements from other regions to gain dominance over oil resources. Despite their alliance against Ansar Allah, Saudi-backed proxy groups are locked in fierce competition to divide the wealth and resources of Yemen’s occupied territories.
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