Hadramout (South24 Center)

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Forces from the First Military Zone, stationed in Wadi Hadramout, fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse a peaceful protest in the city of Tarim on Thursday (August 7), wounding two individuals including one critically, according to local sources and eyewitness accounts.

Witnesses reported that the Northern-led forces, aligned with the Islah Party, entered the city before dawn, and used armored vehicles to break up demonstrators who had gathered to protest deteriorating public services and rising living costs. Several arrests were made during the operation.

Neither the Yemeni government nor the First Military Zone command had issued an official statement at the time of reporting.

Videos circulating on social media showed intense gunfire in a residential neighborhood of Tarim, sparking outrage among Southern political and human rights circles.

#BREAKING
Media sources: First Region forces used armored vehicles, live ammunition and gas canisters to disperse service-deterioration protesters#south24pic.twitter.com/4dW1RCRjQ0

— South24 | English (@South24E) August 7, 2025

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) denounced what it called the excessive use of force by First Military Zone troops, demanding their immediate withdrawal from Wadi Hadramout and an independent investigation into the violations.

The STC's Hadramout Executive Committee stated: "The assault on peaceful Tarim exposes the repressive nature of these forces", adding that their continued presence violates the 2019 Riyadh Agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia.

A separate statement from the STC's Mukalla leadership accused the First Military Zone of confiscating civilian property and committing grave abuses.

The First Military Zone, a Northern-affiliated force deployed in Hadramout, faces persistent opposition from Southern groups who view it as obstructing security arrangements under the power-sharing deal between Yemen's government and the STC.

Despite the recent currency stabilization, Southern governorates including Al-Dhalea and Hadramout continue witnessing protests over dire living conditions and collapsed public services.