Aden (South24 Center)

International condemnation mounted following the assassination of Wissam Qaid, Acting Executive Director of the Social Fund for Development (SFD), whose body was found on Sunday evening (May 3), hours after he was abducted by gunmen in the capital, Aden.

A security source said authorities discovered Qaid’s body after he had been kidnapped earlier that day. Activists circulated video footage showing the moment he was intercepted by gunmen before being taken to an unknown location.

Yemeni journalistic sources reported that Qaid had previously received threats, noting that there had been earlier attempts to arrest him in Sanaa before the Fund’s headquarters were relocated to Aden, as the SFD had remained under Houthi control for years.

The local authority in Aden condemned the incident, affirming its commitment to pursuing the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. It stressed that such crimes would not deter efforts to enhance security and stability.

For its part, the Aden Security Department warned against publishing CCTV footage or any materials related to the incident without official authorization, noting that doing so could obstruct investigations and expose violators to legal accountability.

At the international level, the incident drew widespread condemnation. The British Ambassador to Yemen expressed her “anger and shock” over Qaid’s assassination, highlighting his role in supporting millions of Yemenis and calling for the urgent identification and accountability of those responsible. The U.S. Embassy also condemned the incident, demanding that those involved be held accountable.

The German Ambassador to Yemen also condemned the incident, joining a growing wave of international reactions.

Similarly, the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen, Laurent Bukera, denounced the crime, stating that he joins Yemenis in condemning the “murder of Wissam Qaid.” He noted that this comes just days after a similar incident involving Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer in Aden, offering condolences to the victims’ families and stressing that “such heinous crimes cannot be tolerated,” while supporting government efforts to ensure accountability.

Furthermore, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, strongly condemned the abduction and assassination of Qaid, stating that he “represented a model of dedication and commitment to improving the lives of Yemenis,” and stressing the need for his legacy to continue.

He pointed out that the recurrence of such incidents within a short period highlights the urgent need to strengthen accountability and take measures to protect civilian and government workers.

The incident comes amid a rise in assassination cases in Aden. Unidentified gunmen had previously assassinated Islah Party leader Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer in the Mansoura district on April 25, an attack that drew widespread condemnation and underscored ongoing security challenges in the city.