Aden (South24) 

Today, hundreds of Southern officers and soldiers gathered in front of the United Nations office in Khormaksar, Aden, to demand the payment of their salaries that had been suspended for months.

The protest raised slogans denouncing the Yemeni government and the non-disbursement of pensions, and demanded to fight corruption. They also carried the national flags of the former state of South Yemen.

Demonstrators from the Federation of Trade and Professional Unions participated in the protests. They denounced the deteriorating living and service conditions in Aden and South Yemen governorates.

Photo: Protest stand by Southern officers in Aden to demand the payment of pensions (South24, Ayad Al-Hamami)

According to a source in the Southern Military Commission who spoke to "South24", the demonstration comes after the Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik evaded his pledges to pay the military's pensions in full.

The source pointed out that the months in which the pensions of the soldiers in the Ministries of Interior and Defense in South, since 2020 until now, have not been paid, have exceeded 16 months.

The source revealed upcoming escalatory steps that the Southern Military Commission will take to press for the "release of the pensions". He accused parties in the Yemeni government of trying to "humiliate Southern officers."

It is noteworthy that the Southern Military Commission had organized, over the past year, protest stands that lasted for weeks in front of the headquarters of the Saudi-led Coalition in Aden, to demand salaries. 

South24 Center for News and Studies

Photo: Protest stand by Southern officers in Aden to demand the payment of pensions (South24, Ayad Al-Hamami)