Mukalla (South24 Center)

Security tensions erupted at Mukalla Port in Hadramout Governorate, eastern South Yemen, between Coast Guard units affiliated with the Hadrami Elite Forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni Emergency Forces, following a dispute over control of the port and responsibility for its security. The confrontation involved warning shots and the deployment of military reinforcements, amid growing tribal criticism of the Emergency Forces' activities elsewhere in the governorate.

Military and local sources told South24 Center on Tuesday (November 10) that the Emergency Forces and their Special Missions Battalion had imposed restrictions on operations at Mukalla Port and demanded that the Coast Guard units responsible for securing the facility hand over control, escalating tensions between the two sides.

The sources said shots were fired into the air during the confrontation before port management and workers intervened to contain the tensions. Meanwhile, the Emergency Forces deployed additional military reinforcements around the port.

Local reports on Monday had described the detention of several soldiers and the confiscation of their weapons during the dispute, along with disruptions to port operations.

It remained unclear whether the forces had reached an agreement over security arrangements at the port or whether normal operations had resumed.

The incident has renewed debate over the division of security and military responsibilities in Hadramout, where several armed formations operate, including units receiving direct Saudi support, alongside local forces that have secured the governorate's coastline in recent years.

Hadramout's Coast Guard is responsible for protecting ports and territorial waters and combating smuggling. Its units have maintained a presence at Mukalla Port throughout the military developments that reshaped the governorate earlier this year.

In January, the Arabian Sea Ports Corporation praised the Coast Guard's role in securing the port during the events in Hadramout, emphasizing the importance of coordination to ensure maritime safety and uninterrupted commercial activity.

Background of the Emergency Forces

The Yemeni Emergency Forces are a Saudi-backed military formation whose leadership and personnel are predominantly Salafi, with most fighters originating from northern Yemeni governorates. The force is distinct from Southern military formations.

The force emerged under its current name in 2025 following the restructuring of units previously known as the "Happy Yemen Forces," which had been established with Saudi support in 2019 and deployed along the Saudi-Yemeni border in Saada and Al-Jawf governorates.

The Emergency Forces operate under the Saudi-led Joint Forces Command and comprise several divisions and brigades. Most of their personnel come from northern Yemeni governorates, including Saada, Al-Mahwit, Dhamar, and Ibb, alongside tribal fighters opposed to the Houthis.

Units are deployed in Marib, Shabwa, and Hadramout, while some of the force's core formations originated from troops previously stationed along the Saudi-Yemeni border before being reorganized and deployed more widely across Yemen.

The Emergency Forces are distinct from the Nation's Shield Forces (Der' Al-Watan), which were established by presidential decree in January 2023 as a reserve force reporting to the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, although both formations receive Saudi support.

On January 27, the Third Division of the Emergency Forces announced that it had completed the handover of its military camps and positions stretching from Ramah to Al-Abr in Hadramout to the Nation's Shield Forces, in accordance with directives from higher authorities.

However, the continued deployment of Emergency Forces units in other parts of Hadramout has sparked local tensions over their responsibilities, authority, and relationship with local security forces and authorities.

In one of the latest developments, the Hadramout Tribes Alliance, led by Amr bin Habrish, issued a statement on Thursday (November 5) condemning what it described as "provocative actions" by Emergency Forces stationed in western Wadi Hadramout. The alliance accused the forces of establishing new checkpoints and military positions within residential neighborhoods, disrupting residents' daily lives.

The alliance expressed support for the Nahd tribes, represented by their tribal leader, Dr. Abdulrab bin Ali bin Thabit Al-Nahdi, in rejecting these measures and stressed the importance of preserving public order, security, and stability.

The statement followed objections by Nahd tribes to the establishment of a military checkpoint in the Al-Khasha area. According to a statement issued by the tribal leadership, the Emergency Forces were accused of detaining residents and preventing a peaceful gathering demanding the checkpoint's removal.

These objections concern the Emergency Forces' deployment in western Wadi Hadramout rather than the Mukalla Port incident itself, but they reflect widening disputes over the force's activities across the governorate.

The latest tensions come months after the reorganization of military and security deployments in Hadramout, following clashes in early January between Southern Forces and Saudi-backed government-aligned forces, which led to changes in territorial control and military leadership.

The dispute at Mukalla Port raises questions about the future of security arrangements in Hadramout, the scope of authority exercised by Saudi-backed military formations in areas where local forces operate, and the ability of authorities to regulate relations between them while ensuring that economic facilities remain operational and insulated from military competition.