NYN | News
A state of anger is spreading within the ranks of the Second Military Region in Hadhramaut Governorate following the arrest of Naval Lieutenant Colonel Majid Al-Obathani, former commander of the Dabba Brigade, by forces affiliated with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday.
According to local sources, units of the Hadhrami Elite Forces, which operate under direct Emirati supervision, raided Al-Obathani’s residence, confiscated his weapons and personal devices, and then transferred him to a private prison run by these forces in the city of Mukalla.
The sources indicated that the arrest came after Al-Obathani refused to carry out a military campaign against Sheikh Salem Mubarak Al-Gharabi and several Al-Humoom tribes, an act the Emirati forces considered a rebellion against their directives.
The incident occurred just hours after a decision to dismiss Al-Obathani from his post and appoint Lieutenant Colonel Abdulrahman Al-Feel as his replacement — a move that sparked widespread resentment within military circles, who saw it as a continuation of a “systematic exclusion policy” targeting professional officers in Hadhramaut.
These developments are part of a series of similar measures that have affected former commanders in the region, most notably Brigadier General Mohammed Omar Al-Yemeni, Chief of Staff of the Second Military Region, who was previously arrested on false charges before later being cleared.
Observers believe that Al-Obathani’s arrest reflects the expanding Emirati influence in Hadhramaut, where Abu Dhabi effectively controls security and military decision-making through the Hadhrami Elite Forces, amid a noticeable decline in the authority of Yemen’s official government.
Analysts warn that this growing Emirati dominance could undermine state institutions and turn the governorate into a battleground for influence between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with their Western partners, chiefly the United States and the United Kingdom.
