Aden, Yemen – The Saudi-led coalition supporting the legitimate government in Yemen is intensifying calls for the complete withdrawal of military forces from Aden and other major cities. This move aims to transition security responsibilities to local law enforcement agencies, fostering stability and a return to normalcy.
Falah al-Shahrani, an advisor to the Joint Forces Commander of the Coalition, emphasized the critical need for military units to retreat to designated camps. In a televised statement made in Aden on Wednesday, al-Shahrani stated that the military formations were established for combat and specific emergency situations. With improved security conditions, he argued, these units – including those formerly known as the Security Belts – should withdraw from Aden and surrounding governorates, allowing security forces to manage and secure the region.
Al-Shahrani’s arrival in Aden on Monday, according to the Yemeni government-affiliated Homeland Shield Forces, is part of ongoing security and military arrangements for the coming phase. On Tuesday, he convened a meeting with military leaders from various southern governorates to discuss security arrangements and a proposed vision for restructuring the security and military landscape.
These developments coincide with a surge in military meetings involving the Ministry of Defense and the Coalition in Aden. A consultative military meeting, chaired by Major General Ahmed al-Basr Salem, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, took place at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in the interim capital on Tuesday. According to reports, the meeting focused on implementing directives from Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, regarding the status and operation of military formations. Representatives from joint operations bodies, military formations, and officials from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff participated.
Prior to this, the Yemeni Ministry of Defense in Aden held a similar meeting, potentially the largest in nearly a decade, bringing together heads of military bodies, regional commanders, and key figures. The meeting underscored the armed forces’ support for sovereign decisions aimed at integrating various military and security units under the umbrella of the Ministries of Defense and Interior, operating under a unified command and joint operations room. The recent activity signals a concerted effort to consolidate security and promote stability in Aden and the surrounding regions.
