Aden (South24 Center)

Angry protests broke out in Yemen's southern capital of Aden on Monday (April 28) over the worsening electricity shortages and the continued collapse of the local currency. In Crater district, dozens of demonstrators took to the streets, burning tires and blocking main roads to express their frustration over the deteriorating living conditions and lack of public services.

Protests in the city of Aden, April 28, 2025 (Amr Alalby)

‘South24 Center’ obtained images showing plumes of smoke rising over the city, with the protests concentrated near government buildings, including the Yemen National Bank. Protesters chanted slogans demanding improvement in electricity services, which have sharply declined with outages exceeding 22 hours per day in some areas amid the rising summer temperatures.

Earlier, Aden's electricity corporation announced that power generation plants in the city, including the main PetroMasila station, had shut down due to depleted fuel and diesel supplies.

The protests also followed a dramatic depreciation of the Yemeni rial. According to ‘South24’ data, the US dollar reached 2,535 rials (buying) and 2,560 rials (selling), while the Saudi riyal hit 667/671 rials, driving up the prices of goods and services, while worsening citizens' hardships.

Protests in the city of Aden, April 28, 2025 (Amr Alalby)

Security forces were deployed around vital facilities but no clashes were reported. Protesters urged local authorities to take urgent action, warning that continued neglect of these crises risk triggering broader unrest.

Aden's chronic electricity crisis stems from fuel shortages and aging infrastructure, while the continuing decline in the currency is due to weak economic policies, compounding the city's severe cost-of-living crisis.