Aden (South24 Center)

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad Al-Alimi, issued two decrees on Tuesday, February 24, appointing Abdul-Salam Al-Jamali as Commander of the Special Security Forces with a promotion to the rank of Major General, and Abdul-Salam Al-Omari as Chairman of the Civil Defense Authority, also promoted to the rank of Major General, according to the official news agency Saba.

In parallel, Minister of Interior Ibrahim Haidan signed a decree appointing Mohammed Al-Subaihi as Deputy Director General of Aden Police and Assistant for Security Affairs, and Jalal Al-Rubaie as Commander of the Special Security Forces branch in Aden. The appointments also covered other senior positions in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Counter-Narcotics, and the Free Zone Security, alongside administrative and operational roles within the capital’s police force.

Informed sources said this package of appointments serves as a prelude to merging several security formations into the framework of the (Special Security Forces) under Al-Jamali’s command. These include the Aden Security Emergency Units and the National Security Forces (formerly the Security Belt).

Al-Jamali is regarded as a prominent security figure with advanced qualifications in legal and criminal fields, he is known for his close ties to PLC member and Commander of the Southern Giants Forces, Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami. In Abyan governorate, Al-Mahrami issued a decree appointing Hani Al-Sunaidi as Commander of the National Security Forces and Jamal Al-Badri as Chief of Staff.

These decisions faced opposition within the governorate, as tribal figures protested the dismissal of the former National Security Commander, Haidara Al-Sayyid. Local media outlets reported details of a tribal meeting in Zinjibar that called for containing tensions and preventing divisions—highlighting the sensitivity surrounding any redistribution of influence within the Southern security apparatus under direct Saudi supervision.

Amid the absence of a detailed official statement outlining the merger framework, implementation mechanisms, and timeline, concerns are growing among grassroots in South regarding the potential dilution or targeting of security and military units established by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) years ago, which have played a significant role in counterterrorism and fighting the Houthis.

The Saudi delegate in Aden, Falah Al-Shahrani, had spoken early January about merging security apparatuses in Aden under a single structural formation and moving military forces out of the city. As of now, it remains unclear how far this plan has progressed.