Joint forces, supported by air and logistical cover from the Arab Coalition, have secured full control of the headquarters of the Second Military Region in the city of Mukalla on the Hadramawt coast. This decisive step culminates intensive military operations aimed at clearing the city and surrounding areas of al-Qaeda elements, who had been using the headquarters as a major center for managing their operations in the region.
Field sources reported that the operation was carried out with high professionalism and precise coordination between the various military units. The forces successfully secured the perimeter of the camp and deployed to key points within it, forcing the terrorist elements to flee. The recapture of this military base is considered a symbol of the return of state authority and control over sovereign institutions in the province, and a first step towards restoring security and public services to the coastal city.
General context and historical background
To understand the significance of this event, we must go back a little, specifically to April 2015, when al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula exploited the security and political vacuum created by the coup and the war in Yemen to seize control of the city of Mukalla. For a full year, the organization transformed the city into something resembling an independent “emirate,” controlling the port, the airport, and government institutions, and looting the central bank, which provided it with enormous financial resources that enabled it to recruit members and buy loyalties.
Strategic and economic importance
The city of Mukalla holds paramount strategic importance as the capital of Hadramawt Governorate, the largest governorate in Yemen, and home to a vital port on the Arabian Sea. Expelling terrorist organizations from the headquarters of the Second Military Region is not merely a military victory, but a significant economic and security triumph. Controlling Mukalla severed the organization's main funding source, which relied on port revenues and smuggling, and it also secured international shipping lanes in the Arabian Sea from any potential terrorist threats.
Regional and international impact
Regionally and internationally, this victory sends a powerful message that the war on terror goes hand in hand with efforts to restore legitimacy in Yemen. The Arab Coalition countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, played a pivotal role in training and equipping the Hadrami Elite Forces, which spearheaded this operation. This event underscores the commitment of the Coalition and the international community to preventing Yemen from becoming a safe haven for extremist groups that threaten global peace and security, thus paving the way for a new phase of reconstruction and development in the liberated areas.
