Aden (South24 Center)

Abyan Governorate Police announced on Sunday (April 26) the completion of the first phase of a five-day security campaign targeting migrant-smuggling networks in Ahwar district, saying 25 suspects had been arrested and several informal camps used to hold and move African migrants had been dismantled.

In a statement, the Media Office of the Abyan Security Directorate said the operation had “cleared the coasts of Ahwar” of smuggling camps and raided sites used as assembly and transit points for migrants arriving from the Horn of Africa.

The campaign, launched on April 23, involved joint security units carrying out raids along coastal and mountainous areas. On the first day, security forces arrested 17 suspects, freed several migrants, and seized weapons and vehicles allegedly used in smuggling operations. Local reports said the raids also targeted sites where migrants had been detained and abused by smugglers.

Police said the campaign faced armed resistance from smugglers, including an ambush that left one soldier injured by shrapnel and damaged several military vehicles before forces secured the targeted locations.

The crackdown followed widespread public outrage after video footage circulated showing serious violations against African migrants inside smuggling camps in Abyan, prompting local authorities to move against networks operating along the coastal route.

The campaign also comes amid a sharp rise in migrant arrivals to Yemen. According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, 21,050 migrants entered Yemen in January 2026, 19,337 in February, and 17,027 in March, bringing the total recorded arrivals in the first quarter to 57,414 migrants.

Previously, on April 20, the Yemeni government held a meeting in Aden with a delegation from the International Organization for Migration to discuss irregular migration and agreed on measures including reception centers in Aden and Lahj, field registration points in coastal areas including Ahwar and Shuqrah in Abyan, and support for Coast Guard capabilities.

Authorities in Abyan said arrest warrants had been issued for remaining fugitives and warned that any attempt to re-establish smuggling camps would be met with strict legal measures. The police said the campaign would continue until smuggling activity is eradicated along the coastline.