Hadramout appears to have gone through a decisive turning point as its traditional tribal structure is witnessing accelerating rifts due to the competition over representation and leadership. 

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Abdullah Al-Shadli (South24)

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In a moment full of doubts, Sheikh Amr Bin Habrish, the Secretary General of the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy (HTC), returned to his hometown on March 27, arriving from Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Major General Mubarak AlـObthani, the commander of what is known as the ‘Hadramout Protection Forces‘. This is the name given by Bin Habrish to an armed group that he intends to form in the governorate.

 

Bin Habrish held a series of meetings in Riyadh, including with the Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khaled Bin Salaman on March 21 and with the Commander of the Saudi Joint Forces Lt Gen Fahd Al-Salman on March 26. Bin Habrish appears to be repositioning himself on the map of local and regional alliances at a time when Hadramout is facing several economic, political, and security challenges. 

 

Parallel to this, tribal meetings held recently in Al-Oyoun - east of Mukalla - have revealed deep rifts within the HTC. This raises questions about the future of this entity and to what extent the ambitions of Sheikh Amr Bin Habrish threaten the unity and cohesion of Hadrami tribes, and how these aspirations intersect or contradict with local and regional projects focusing their attention on this oil-rich governorate.

 

Escalating Tension

On February 28, the 2nd Military District and the Security and Police Department in the coast of Hadramout issued separate statements in which they implicitly rejected the steps taken by the HTC and its efforts to recruit fighters as part of the so-called ’Hadramout Protection Forces‘. They warned of the ramifications of the move that would lead to chaos and risks dismantling the unity of decision-making on security matters. 

 

The statements were issued a day after a meeting between Bin Habrish and local figures clad in the formal uniform of the Yemeni armed forces. The official page of the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy described them as ’the Hadramout Protection Forces‘. 

 

Prior to that, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in December 2024 had also warned of the consequences of creating armed entities outside the authority of the Hadrami Elite Forces that are deployed in the coastal areas. The STC renewed its calls to drive the First Military District, which comprises northern Yemeni soldiers linked to the Houthis, out of Wadi Hadramout. 

 

A Representation Crisis or a Leadership Struggle? 

 

The internal conflict within the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy is not new. On November 2, 2023, a senior HTC official had revealed to ’South24 Center‘ about the unprecedented internal rifts that threatened to break up the prominent tribal entity. This came after what he described as a “reckless” statement issued in the name of the HTC Presidium which was sharply critical of the Hadramout Local Authority, the STC-affiliated Hadrami Elite Forces, and the UAE. 

 

The HTC's official Facebook page attributed the statement to a meeting held in Mukalla, chaired by Sheikh Amr Bin Habrish, on October 29, 2023. Some scenes of the meeting were published via the HTC's YouTube channel. 

 

However, there was a quick response when the Local Authority, the STC, and security bodies in the coast of Hadramout along with the STC-affiliated ’Second Hadrami Uprising‘ issued statements denouncing and rejecting the aforementioned statement. They described it as an unjustified escalation, especially against the Hadrami Elite Forces and the UAE. 

 

On the other hand, a remarkable meeting was held on November 5, 2023, in Al-Oyoun that saw the gathering of a number of the HTC's sheikhs and founders. An informed source told ’South24 Center‘ that the meeting ended with an agreement to sack Bin Habrish as the HTC Secretary General and to start restructuring the tribal entity and choose a new leader. 

 

However, these steps have not materialized so far. During the latest meeting in Al-Oyoun on March 22, the same moves were announced again. 

 

In an exclusive interview with ’South24 Center‘, HTC former Secretary General Omar Bashqar, who is a prominent tribal figure, revealed the expected steps based on the meeting of the HTC founders in Al-Oyoun. He stressed that the meeting was purely Hadrami and was aimed to “sack Bin Habrish and appoint new leadership in a way that meets the requirements of the stage.” 

 

Bashqar added that an expanded round of consultations will begin in April - after Eid al-Fitr - with the aim of formulating a comprehensive vision for the future of the HTC. He pointed out that the committee emanating from the Al-Oyoun meeting was not a preparatory one but responsible for collecting remarks and opinions to ensure the widest possible participation. He talked about “very positive indications” and broad consensus between different Hadrami forces, reflecting a collective desire for change and to serve the higher interests of the governorate.

 

Bashqar categorically denied allegations that the STC had funded the meeting, terming it as “baseless claims”. He emphasized that the meeting was held by “pure Hadrami efforts” and that they had agreed to prevent using any partisan slogans or factional flags, in a clear sign toward independence in decision-making. 

 

Bashqar stressed that this does not only seek to upgrade the leadership but also to enhance reconciliation among Hadrami tribal and political entities as well as end unilateral decision-making within the HTC. 

 

For his part, political analyst Anwar Al-Tamimi believes that the happenings reflect a fundamental crisis in understanding the nature of representation and leadership within the HTC. 

 

According to Al-Tamimi, there is confusion prevailing between the traditional tribal leadership and regarding chairing a community entity that is supposed to be governed by clear organizational regulations. He told ’South24 Center‘ that Sheikh Bin Habrish has dealt with political changes away from the HTC institutions. This pushed several founders to withdraw from the HTC three years ago and form the ‘Hadramout Inclusive and Confederacy Bloc for Southern Hadramout‘. 

 

Regarding the future of the HTC, Al-Tamimi expressed his pessimism by saying: “The momentum that accompanied the emergence of the HTC in 2013 no longer exists. The attempts to renovate it are probably out of context if not futile.” 

 

The Importance of the Meeting

Anwar Al-Tamimi believes that the Al-Oyoun meeting aims to “convince regional circles that Bin Habrish is no longer the only representative of Hadramout nor the HTC”. He described Bin Habrish's visit to Saudi Arabia as being “a necessary step to put the dispute within the umbrella of the Arab Coalition led by Riyadh and prevent any Houthi or Iranian attempts to penetrate the scene in Hadramout”. 

 

Notwithstanding the momentum emanating from the Al-Oyoun meeting, the HTC Spokesman Al-Kaash Saeed Al-Saeedi sought to downplay it. He described the meeting as a repetition of previous attempts which failed in understanding the unity of the HTC. Al-Saeedi told ’South24 Center‘ that “the meeting was attended by the same faces who previously formed the Hadramout Inclusive and Confederacy Bloc”. He pointed to direct support by the STC and the Local Authority. 

 

Al-Saeedi emphasized that “the real leaders of the HTC didn’t attend the meeting”. He added that the HTC is still unified and that “the tribal symbols haven't deviated from their fixed stances”. 

The HTC, chaired by Bin Habrish, called for a meeting on March 19 before postponing it ahead of his visit to Saudi Arabia. An informed source told ’South24 Center‘ that the goal behind the meeting was to respond to statements issued by the STC President Major General Aidrous Al-Zubaidi from Mukalla on March 15.

 

Al-Zubaidi, who also serves as the Vice President of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), criticized the Hadramout Inclusive Conference (Bin Habrish's political wing) for avoiding the Southern National Dialogue. Al-Zubaidi also warned of confirmed security threats in Hadramout, including Houthi infiltration inside the governorate and also by the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). 

 

However, Al-Saeedi maintained that postponing the meeting “came as a result of the inability of a large number of tribal and civil figures to arrive”. He stressed that the invitation to the meeting is still in place and includes all Hadrami tribes. 

 

On the other hand, an STC official source in Hadramout told ’South24 Center‘ that the latest statements by Major General Al-Zubaidi during his Mukalla visit were the "spark" that has brought Hadramout back to the heart of regional calculations. 

 

According to the source, the candid statements by Al-Zubaidi has put pressure on regional parties, especially Saudi Arabia, to revise their strategy toward the oil-rich governorate. This position, according to the sources, resulted in Riyadh quickly summoning Sheikh Amr Bin Habrish, in a step aimed at containing any counter-moves, including the holding of the postponed meeting that was intended to escalate the situation.

 

The impact of these moves haven’t been restricted only to the regional sphere. The US, according to the STC official, has paid growing attention to the developments in Hadramout. The latest meeting between Al-Zubaidi and the US Ambassador Steven Fagin on March 25 discussed the developments in the governorate and how to directly support its stability. 

 

The source claimed that the latest Saudi intervention was followed by direct instructions to Sheikh Bin Habrish to avoid any escalatory steps that would obstruct the scenario. He added that the governorate is witnessing a remarkable improvement in the electricity sphere which is considered an indication about the serious efforts to defuse the situation. 

 

The source concluded that "the positive outcomes, especially in the field of services, can be directly linked to the diplomatic and political efforts led by Al-Zubaidi, which have refocused the spotlight on Hadramout as a central issue in the complex local scene”.

 

It is worth mentioning that Bin Habrish began escalating his political rhetoric some weeks ago. On March 15, he said, in a video speech: “We have adopted a firm position, including in our stance toward the PLC as well as its president and members. They are rejected in Hadramout. We do not welcome their visits if they do not give Hadramout its deserved position.” 

 

Finally, Hadramout appears to be at a critical turning point as its traditional tribal structure is witnessing growing rifts due to the competition over representation and leadership. At the heart of this confusing scene, Sheikh Amr Bin Habrish has emerged as the main actor who is perceived in different ways -- between those who look at him as a defender of Hadrami rights and those who view him as a direct reason for the erosion of the unity of tribal ranks and a figure who follows a personal or regional agenda. 

 

It can be said that the future of Hadrami tribes is subject to their ability to overcome the internal differences and adopt an institutional approach which would strike a balance between their tribal heritage, the requirements of the stage, geography, and future. In this regard, there is need for a comprehensive rational discourse that promotes the public interests of Hadramout within its geographical and social context and puts an end to the paths of unilateralism and divisions which threaten the tribal and social fabric in the governorate.