Aden (South24 Center)

A media official in Aden Security said on Monday (May 18) that financial allocations and scheduled support for security directorates in the capital, Aden, and other governorates under the control of the Yemeni government have been suspended for four months, warning of possible repercussions for security operations and the readiness of security units.

The remarks were made by Khaled Al-Sanami, a media official in Aden Security, in a Facebook post. Al-Sanami said the allocations of security directorates in the “liberated areas” have not been disbursed by the government and the Ministry of Interior for four months, while Saudi support allocated to Aden Security was paid only for January 2026 before being suspended.

He said the continued delay in disbursing these allocations raises “widespread questions” about the reasons behind the disruption and the mechanisms of disbursement, especially as security institutions rely heavily on such allocations to cover daily operational and logistical needs and ensure the continuation of their duties in maintaining security and stability.

The suspension comes amid a broader shift in the financing of military and security forces in areas under the control of the Yemeni government. Since early 2026, Saudi Arabia has assumed a larger and more direct role in paying salaries and supporting forces that had previously relied in part on Emirati funding, including southern forces.

Reuters reported in February that Riyadh had allocated nearly $3 billion this year to cover the salaries of Yemeni forces and civil servants, including around $1 billion for southern fighters who had previously received their salaries from Abu Dhabi.

The shift followed the December 2025 events in Hadramout and Al-Mahra, which reshaped the balance between Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government, the Southern Transitional Council, and southern forces. Reuters said Saudi Arabia had recently begun funding tens of thousands of STC fighters and other state employees after the UAE’s role in the Yemen file receded.

However, the new funding arrangements have also been accompanied by complaints and administrative complications. Some units affiliated with or close to the Southern Transitional Council said they had been excluded or faced delays in salary disbursement, while Saudi Arabia pushed for registration procedures, including biometric verification.

The biometric system has raised concerns over Saudi Arabia’s access to data that is supposed to remain exclusive to the Yemeni Ministry of Defense.

The issue of salaries and support has become more sensitive amid Saudi efforts to reorganize armed formations in areas under the control of the Yemeni government.

In recent months, the capital, Aden, has witnessed rising security tensions, coinciding with assassinations, amid repeated calls to support the security apparatuses, strengthen their operational and logistical capabilities, and preserve the stability established by southern forces over the past years.