Hadramout governor says ports and airports will soon be operational after Saudi-backed government forces ousted secessionists from the south.
About 400 tourists are stuck on the Yemeni island of Socotra after flights were grounded because of clashes on the mainland between government troops backed by Saudi Arabia and secessionists with links to the United Arab Emirates.
Over the past few days, flights in and out of Yemen have been largely restricted during heavy fighting between rival armed factions loosely grouped under the Yemen’s fractious government, which is based in the southern port city of Aden.
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The Socotra islands, 380km (236 miles) south of the mainland, are under the control of the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council, which has clashed with Yemen’s Saudi-backed government in the provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra.
Yahya bin Afrar, the deputy governor for culture and tourism on Socotra, the largest island in the Socotra archipelago, said that “more than 400 foreign tourists” are stranded after their flights were “suspended”.
A local official, who spoke to the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity, said that 416 people of different nationalities were stranded on Socotra, including “more than 60 Russians”.
An unnamed Western diplomat said that “British, French and American” nationals were also among the stranded tourists.
Highly unstable region
In a post on X on Sunday, Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Maciej Wewior, said Polish tourists were stuck too, adding that flights to Socotra by an Emirati airline had been suspended until Tuesday.
“Socotra is located in a highly unstable region, where an armed conflict has been ongoing for years. Currently, the security situation has further deteriorated. Due to the intensification of military operations, airspace has been closed,” the post said.
A travel agent in Socotra said at least two Chinese nationals were also there.
Tourists stuck on the island, many of whom went there to for New Year’s celebrations, are now reaching out to their embassies for help to be evacuated, according to another Western diplomat.
“Their relevant embassies have reached out to the Saudi and Yemeni governments to seek their evacuation,” said the diplomat.
The airport in Aden has been functional since Sunday, after disruptions that lasted for several days.
Pledge to restore order
Yemen’s civil war entered a new phase last month when secessionists with the UAE-backed STC extended its presence in southeastern Yemen with the aim of establishing an independent state.
But this week, the Saudi-backed “Homeland Shield” forces took back the oil-rich southern governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahra, which make up nearly half of Yemen’s territory, from the STC rebels.
In the past, the opposing forces were allied under the umbrella of the Aden-based Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) – the governing organ of the internationally recognised government – against the Houthis, who control most of northwestern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
On Friday, Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout, was chosen by the government to command the Saudi-led forces in the governorate.
In an interview with media Arabic on Monday, al-Khanbashi said that ports and airports in the governorate would soon be operational, stressing the need to restore service at the Seiyun airport in northern Hadramout.
He pledged to re-establish security and stability, saying meetings will be held with all political and tribal groups to form a united front to protect the governorate against future attacks.
Compensation will be extended for damage to public and private property caused during the STC’s advance. The authorities are focused on getting electricity, water and health services up and running again, al-Khanbashi said.
