Shabwa (South24)

On Wednesday, Dozens of civilians were wounded and detained, including STC’s leaders in Shabwa, as a result of a crackdown carried out by the security forces loyal to the Islah party in the Yemeni government, during a massive popular demonstration in Lauder, the central region of Shabwa to revive the 7/7 anniversary, dubbed as “Yom Al Ard” renewing the calls for South's independence.

Security "attacks" left six injured, as a result of using live ammunition fired at peaceful demonstrators in the Beihan District,    and detained 43 civilians in the old market area of Ataq, as well as 6 detainees in the Nisab District, According to local, human rights, and media sources.

Sources on the ground told "South24" that “the forces loyal to Islah arrested the STC’s Head of the Ataq district, Nasser Muqlem Al-Khalifi, and his Deputy of Educational Affairs, Silan Hanash, after raiding his apartment”.

The security forces have also imposed a siege on the house of the STC’s Head of the Public Department in Nisab District in Shabwa and arrested his son Hamza.

Taha Hudair, the STC’s Director of the Media department in Beihan District has been detained as well as Nasser al-Mahri the STC’s Director of the youth and students department in Radhum.

Field sources told “South24” that “military elements and 5 armored vehicles stormed the Arma Square, the scene of the demonstration; at midnight”.

“The Yemeni forces, affiliated with the Islah Party, raided the demonstrations in Ataq and Radom.  They fired at the demonstrators, raiding homes in the districts of Habban and Mayfaa. The Forces prevented the demonstrators from reaching the site of the Rawda and Nisab demonstration, and established a number of checkpoints” they added.

In the morning, clashes erupted between the tribes of Assaid District and gunmen affiliated with the Islah Party who attacked peaceful activities in the district, according to videos.

 As a result, the Assaid’s demonstration was transferred from AlMasha to Wadi Yashbum, and the Arma district was transferred to the Talh District.

Activists released a video that shows a governmental military vehicle shooting live ammunition on demonstrations in Beihan causing injuries.

The demonstrators in Abdan, in Nisab District shouted with slogans demanding the expulsion of the Northern forces from Shabwa.

Field Photos show a demonstration that toured Ataq’s neighborhoods despite the deployment and the tight siege imposed on the city by forces loyal to the Islah.

The photos show big peaceful assemblies in Abdan, Sot Beleid, Khora, Assaid, Usailan, Markham, Wadi Yashbum, and Beihan in the governorate of Shabwa. The demonstrators raised the South’s National flags and STC slogans.

On Today morning, in the 7-7 Anniversary (Invasion of South in 1994), STC President Aidarous Al Zubaidi said: “The revolution in South aimed to change the bitter reality. This has been achieved in many governorates and is underway in Shabwa and Wadi Hadhramaut”.

He stressed that:”there is no permanent peace in South and Yemen or the whole region without acknowledging the rights of the southern people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state”1].

Al Zubaidi sent a message to the leaders of the Arab Coalition, about the foreign policy adopted by the STC, represented in “the common and unified destiny shared by KSA, UAE, and Gulf in general”.

He added: “we hope that our Saudi brothers, the sponsors of the Riyadh Agreement, will pressure the other party to stop all forms of escalation’. 

However, demonstrators in Ataq accused the Arab Coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, of “being silent” towards “slaughtering” Shabwa.

Military experts told "South24" that new Saudi military vehicles and armored trucks were seen today in Ataq, during the security campaign to suppress peaceful demonstrations in the city. (2)

The Security Committee, affiliated with the Islah Party in Usailan expressed its refusal of “calls of chaos and vandalism in the district” vowing a harsh response against “anyone who dares to disturb the public peace, or incite against the local authority and security institutions”.

Mohammed Al Ghaithy, Head of the STC General Directorate of Foreign Affairs, said that “the peaceful moves of Shabwa people won’t be deterred by repression. We will go on”, calling the internal and external parties to show a courageous attitude towards what happened in Shabwa”.

In a joint statement today, 15 southern civil society organizations condemned, "the repression against peaceful demonstrators”.

the statement blamed  the Special Military Forces led by Colonel Abd Rabbo Kaab, and the pro-Islah- governor of Shabwa, Mohammed bin Adyo holding them  "The responsibility for these violations."

The statement called the Yemeni presidency to “quickly release the detainees” demanding “justice for victims”.

It called on the Arab coalition leaders to "assume their responsibility for bringing security and peace in Shabwa, and protecting the people from the oppression and repression of the military forces affiliated with the Yemeni authorities”.

It also called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and international organizations to document violations within “the bad record of the Yemeni government".

Footage showed security members in Ataq, using the heel of their guns to attack a peaceful demonstrator after they stormed the scene of the event in Ataq’s Old Market area destroying its contents.

Lawdar District, in the governorate of Abyan witnessed a mass demonstration in which the participants renewed their call to restore the Southern State, which existed until 1990.

July 7 1994

The Moroccan Academic and Military Correspondent “Tawfiq Gezolit” who covered the 1994 War between North and South revealed to MBC for the first time that “King Fahd asked to meet him in Jeddah, then he told him to return to Aden to inform Southern leaders that he will support them, but in the next day, Aden fell in the hands of the Northern Forces”.

In his interview with “Khat Ahmar” (Red Line) Program, on “Al Ghad Al Moshrik” TV Channel, he said that on his way from Aden to Al Mukalla, by sea, he saw many persons from different nationalities,  

who fought in Afghanistan as they were recruited by the Islah Party to fight against South with the help of the Takfiri Fatwas issued by the Islah’s leaders against the southerners, including the Moroccan Journalist himself through Abdulmajeed Al Zindani.

The South uprising this year comes in conjunction with the increase of tension in the southern governorates because of the clashes between governmental forces, loyal to Al Islah, with Abyan Tribes days earlier, and the increase of the   Qaeda’s terrorist attacks against the Security Belt Forces and security checkpoints.

In response to the kidnapping of STC leaders in Hadhramaut, during their existence in Shabwa last month, STC has halted its participation in the Riyadh Agreement consultations.

Ali Abdullah Al katheri, STC’s Spokesman describes what happened as a «blatant challenge to political and civil rights."

Simultaneously, the STC’s Executive Body in Hadhramaut has completed its preparations to revive the anniversary of the southern event “Yom Al Ard” tomorrow. 

According to local sources, the executive body recommended forming field committees for ensuring the success of the event.

 South24 Center for News and Studies

 Photo: A group photo of several popular demonstrations that took place today in several districts in Shabwa Governorate, South Yemen (South24 / activists)