Aden (South24 Center)

Hundreds of sheikhs and notables from Hadramout convened on Saturday, November 29, in Ras Hawaira in the Hadramout plateau to participate in an extraordinary tribal meeting called by the preparatory committee to restructure the presidency of the Hadramout Tribal Alliance (HTA), in a move that comes after months of unprecedented internal tensions. 

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An aerial video by South24 of the expanded tribal gathering to appoint a new leader of the Hadramout Tribal Alliance#south24 pic.twitter.com/SWRfgLKF2u

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 29, 2025

During the meeting, which witnessed broad tribal attendance from across the governorate, the sheikhs and notables unanimously inaugurated Sheikh Khalid al‑Kathiri as the new head of the alliance, succeeding Amr bin Habrish, South24 Center’s correspondent reported.

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Our correspondent: The tribal meeting to select a new leader for the Hadramout Tribal Alliance was attended by the Second Military District commander, the Coastal Security Director, and other government figures.#south24 pic.twitter.com/gJpxGREgaF

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 29, 2025

A previous meeting held in the Al‑Ayoon area of Hadramout on March 22 had approved the removal of Sheikh Amr bin Habrish for allegedly “changing the alliance’s course and causing severe security and political crises on Hadramout’s coast.” 

Today’s expanded meeting approved the establishment of a Hadramout Tribal Council, composed of 101 tribal chiefs and sheikhs, with HTA members to be selected in consultation with the tribal notables over the next two months, the South24 correspondent reported.

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The expanded tribal gathering has approved the establishment of the Hadramout Tribes Council with a membership of 101 leaders and sheikhs (South24 correspondent)#south24 pic.twitter.com/nCH8q1c36J

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 29, 2025

Attendees also authorized the alliance’s presidential council to elect 22 members to run its affairs, form specialized committees, and redraft the bylaws after reviewing members’ remarks. 

The final statement sets the presidency’s term at two years, renewable for a similar period, with an annual performance evaluation of the body. 

The statement stressed the continuation of Hadramout’s rights demands “until they are fully implemented,” calling for commitment to the implementation of all legitimate demands of the governorate’s sons.

In his first comment after his inauguration, the new head of the alliance, Khalid al‑Kathiri, told South24 that “the alliance’s ceiling is Hadramout alone,” describing the large tribal turnout as a “clear response” to accusations leveled at the alliance regarding affiliation with political parties. He added that the alliance “will not allow Hadramout to slide into any internal conflict,” noting that the coming phase will focus on “stopping the bloodshed of Hadhramis and engaging with all parties without exception.”

Al‑Kathiri affirmed that decisive decisions in Hadramout “must be taken with comprehensive participation from all tribes and social components,” explaining that the recent steps “are not linked to any personal interests, but came in response to urgent tribal demands.”

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Head of the Hadramout Tribal Alliance, Sheikh Khaled Al-Kathiri, to South24 Center: Our ceiling is Hadramout, and the wide attendance today is a response to those who accuse us of belonging to a specific political party.#south24 pic.twitter.com/f2XUMbwqnU

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 29, 2025

Since early morning, large tribal delegations had arrived at the meeting venue, led by the sheikhs of the Seiban tribe, the governorate’s largest tribe, in response to the preparatory committee’s invitation, which said in a statement that the meeting aims to “restore the alliance to its primary role as an inclusive tribal framework, and to restructure its presidency in accordance with its bylaws.”

According to the South24 correspondent, the meeting was attended by the commander of the Second Military Region, Major General Talib Barjash; the director of security for Hadramout coast, Brigadier General Mutia al‑Manhali; the Hadramout governorate’s deputy for Wadi and Desert affairs, Abdulhadi al‑Tamimi; and a number of prominent military and security leaders.

Commenting on the developments, the STC’s deputy chairman and former Hadramout governor, Major General Ahmed Saeed bin Brik, said the early calls to restructure the alliance aimed to “rotate its presidency fairly among all tribes.” In a Facebook post he added that what Hadramout is witnessing today “represents a natural step to implement this restructuring on fair and clear bases,”. He stressed that the slogan “Hadramout First” represents a shared vision “to serve the interests of Hadramout and the South in general.”

In a related and important development, a local source told South24 that armed elements loyal to Amr bin Habrish had surrounded Sector 14 of the PetroMasila oil facilities in recent hours, without disclosing further details about the reasons for the move. The Second Military Region command said in a brief statement that gunmen affiliated with bin Habrish carried out attacks on company protection forces’ positions and PetroMasila facilities, describing the incidents as a “dangerous escalation” targeting one of the country’s most important economic installations.

The command warned of the danger of targeting oil fields and vital installations, saying the recent attacks affect “state resources which cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.” It called for resolving disputes by peaceful means and urged residents to preserve Hadramout’s security, affirming that it will take “strict measures” to protect the company’s facilities and prevent any threats to them in the coming period.

The Hadramout Tribal Alliance is one of the most prominent tribal conglomerates in southern Yemen. It was founded on 4 July 2013 in Wadi Nhab under the leadership of Sheikh Saad bin Habrish al‑Aliyi to unite the Hadrami ranks following the ousting of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The alliance entered a sensitive phase after the assassination of Sheikh Saad in December 2013 by forces of the First Military Region in Seiyun, an incident that sparked widespread tribal anger and led to the selection of his son Amr bin Habrish as head of the alliance and leader of the “Hadrami Uprising” that was launched to demand retribution for the slain sheikh.

The assassination of Sheikh Saad was a founding moment that united Hadramout’s tribes around common demands, but critics say the alliance in recent years has deviated from its course under Amr bin Habrish’s leadership. 

In March 2025, Amr bin Habrish had visited Saudi Arabia and met with high-ranking Saudi officials, including the Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, who is in charge of the Yemeni file. After his return, the HTA held a meeting demanding that Riyadh take urgent steps to support an autonomy project for Hadramout.

Amr bin Habrish met on Thursday (November 27) with his supporters and called for military escalation against Southern forces within the Hadrami Elite Forces (HEF).

He made no reference to the First Military Region, composed of Northern forces deployed in Wadi and the Hadramout desert. 

Armed groups loyal to him are blamed for multiple armed incidents targeting fuel supplies to Hadramout coast electricity and Aden electricity stations.