Hadramout (South24 Center)

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For the third consecutive day, Yemen’s southern city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout governorate, witnessed a sharp escalation in protests over the worsening power outages and the deteriorating public services, amid mounting fears that the situation could spiral into chaos.

A ‘South24 Center’ correspondent reported that military forces fired live ammunition at protesters on Monday and early Tuesday in several neighborhoods of the coastal city and the nearby town of Ash-Shihr.

This came after angry demonstrators stormed the Hadramout Governorate Office on Monday and shut down several government facilities, including electricity and education offices.

Protesters block a suspension bridge connecting Al-Sharj neighborhood with Old Mukalla during demonstrations over deteriorating public services, Mukalla, Yemen. (Photo: Activists – via social media) July 29, 2025

On Tuesday (July 29), Mukalla saw a civil disobedience campaign, with many shops closing their doors as tensions continued to rise.

In its first official response, the Hadramout Security Committee denied any fatalities among protesters, stating in a Monday night (July 28) announcement that the deployed forces were “sons of the governorate and will not be tools to suppress their people”.

The committee acknowledged the severe electricity crisis but claimed that authorities were working day and night to secure fuel shipments for power plants. It also accused unnamed parties of obstructing operations at PetroMasila’s oil refinery, hinting at malicious hands pushing the governorate toward chaos, in an apparent reference to the Hadramout Tribal Alliance led by Sheikh Amr bin Habrish.

The committee warned against attacks on security vehicles and public facilities, urging tribal leaders, intellectuals, and preachers to guide the youth toward peaceful expression.

In response, the bin Habrish-led Hadramout Tribal Alliance, a powerful local force, issued a statement calling for urgent action to protect citizens' rights and achieve self-rule, while blaming local authorities for failing to address the mounting crises.

The alliance described the protests as a natural result of the deteriorating conditions, warning that suppressing them by force would only fuel further anger.

Meanwhile, Hadramout’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) branch voiced full support for the protesters, pledging to stand with the Hadrami Elite Forces and security agencies to maintain stability. It accused local authorities and Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council of negligence, holding them responsible for the service collapse and eruption of protests.

The STC added that political infighting within local authority components has paralyzed state institutions and deepened citizens’ suffering, demanding immediate reforms to prevent Hadramout’s total collapse.

Burning tires set ablaze by protesters in front of “Al-Mostahlek Hyper” amid angry demonstrations over the electricity crisis, Mukalla, Yemen. (Photo: Activists – via social media) July 29, 2025

The reactions came as on Monday protesters blocked the entrance to Mukalla Port in response to rising commodity prices while women-led demonstrations condemned service failures and persistent power cuts. Security forces have since reinforced their presence across the city in anticipation of further unrest.

The protests unfold during an exceptionally hot summer, with frequent blackouts exacerbating residents’ misery. Amid mutual recriminations among local factions, Yemen’s internationally recognized government remains conspicuously absent from mediation efforts.

Local sources told South24 Center that negotiations are underway to allow fuel shipments to reach power plants, raising cautious hopes for partial improvement in the electricity supply. However, widespread public anger persists, with no clear resolution in sight.