Aden (South24 Center)

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The Yemeni Ministry of Interior launched on Thursday (April 23) the process of integrating the Hadrami Elite Forces into the security apparatuses in Wadi and Desert Hadramout, in a move that raises questions about the future of these forces and their field role.

This came in conjunction with an official ceremony held in the city of Seiyun, organized by the General Administration of Security and Police in Wadi and Desert Hadramout, to announce the inauguration of the integration process, attended by local and security officials, signaling the start of implementation on the ground.

Officials at the Ministry of Interior said the move is part of efforts to reorganize and strengthen security apparatuses in the Wadi and Desert regions, and to enhance readiness to confront security challenges.

Hadramout Deputy Governor for Wadi and Desert Affairs, Jamaan Salmeen Barba’a, affirmed the local authority’s support for strengthening the capabilities of security forces, pointing to their role in maintaining stability, while stressing the importance of professional discipline.

In this context, a source told South24 Center that the decision to integrate the Hadrami Elite Forces and the Security Support Brigade came under pressure from Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami.

The source added that Yemeni parties had previously sought to weaken these forces, including attempts to dismiss personnel of the Security Support Brigade and prevent their reintegration into the security structure in Hadramout.

These developments come amid changes witnessed by the Hadrami Elite Forces in recent months, including Saudi airstrikes targeting the Barasheed Brigade in the city of Al-Mukalla in early January, as part of a campaign that targeted Southern Forces.

The Hadrami Elite Forces are considered among the most prominent formations that emerged following the liberation of the Hadramout coast from Al-Qaeda in April 2016, where they played a key role in stabilizing security and participated in operations to pursue the group’s elements across the governorate.

Since their establishment with Emirati support, the forces have been closely associated with a central counterterrorism role, before their duties later expanded to securing cities and vital areas.

A military source told South24 Center that the integration process included prominent units, including the Security Support Brigade, which had previously faced attempts to fully disband its personnel.

A Southern Forces officer, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said these measures are reshaping the structure of the Hadrami Elite Forces within a different security framework, amid concerns that this could erode their semi-independent character.

On April 21, a committee from the Ministry of Defense began its duties in the Al-Khasha area of Wadi Hadramout to oversee the assembly of personnel from the 37th Armored Brigade and the 35th Mountain Infantry Brigade, along with elements from the First Military District, most of whom are from northern governorates.

According to military sources, these arrangements are part of a plan to reorganize these units, with indications of their redeployment in Wadi Hadramout.

These moves come months after the “Promising Future” operation launched by Southern Forces in December 2025, which secured the Wadi and Desert areas, before they withdrew under Saudi airstrikes, after which Riyadh-backed formations took control of the oil-rich governorate, the largest in the country by area.