Aden (South24 Center)

Aden’s Minister of State and Governor, Abdulrahman Sheikh, announced on Monday (October 19) the arrest of members of Houthi-linked cells and wanted security suspects who, he said, had been hiding for years in the Shamsan Mountains surrounding the city. He said the security operations aimed to thwart plots involving assassinations, espionage and efforts to destabilize Aden.

The Presidential Leadership Council appointed Sheikh as Minister of State and Governor of Aden on January 7, 2026. He is a former leader in the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and rose to prominence during the 2015 battle to liberate Aden.

Speaking at a press conference in Aden, Sheikh said security agencies had conducted search operations in the city’s highlands and mountains, arresting wanted suspects and members of cells that he said had operated through organized networks to monitor movements, carry out assassinations and undermine security and stability.

He said the arrests followed legal procedures and institutional regulations, adding that authorities were continuing to pursue those involved and track networks linked to the Houthis.

Sheikh called on judicial authorities to expedite the cases of defendants accused of belonging to Houthi cells or engaging in espionage, in accordance with legal procedures. He also urged them to implement relevant Presidential Leadership Council decisions, including death sentences against those convicted under the law.

He urged residents to cooperate with security agencies and report suspicious activity. He also called for an end to firing live ammunition and fireworks at weddings, citing the risks to public safety.

On the humanitarian situation, Sheikh said the number of displaced people in the first and second Al-Fardaws camps had exceeded 39,115, or more than 6,615 families, as of October 18. He attributed the increase to waves of displacement from governorates affected by the Houthi military escalation.

He said the local authority had distributed 60,000 relief baskets provided by the Relief Program for Civil Affairs of the Saudi Joint Forces, but faced a widening gap between humanitarian needs and available support.

Sheikh denied that any directives had been issued to ban renting homes to displaced families, saying rentals remained available under approved conditions and procedures.

In the electricity sector, Sheikh announced the arrival in Aden of a Saudi power plant with a capacity of 25 megawatts. He expected another 75 megawatts to arrive within days, ahead of installation and commissioning to improve electricity supplies.

He added that the local authority’s 2026 investment plan included projects to upgrade electricity networks, expand water storage capacity in the Al-Barzakh area, rehabilitate and pave roads, and carry out sanitation and beautification projects.

In education, Sheikh said the local authority had allocated 600 million Yemeni riyals from its budget to support teachers, as well as financial assistance for Al-Jumhouria and Al-Sadaqa hospitals and psychiatric hospitals.

He said the local authority planned to carry out reforms at Al-Sadaqa Hospital and propose that the Ministry of Health take over Salah Al-Din Hospital to equip and support it, given its proximity to the front lines.