Yemen: Hadramaut lays out a “carpet of blood” over oil fields
Ships crossing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait face constant threats, in addition to the bombing of ports and oil facilities, which has had a direct impact on global trade.
In Hadramaut, Yemen's largest province in terms of area, the situation has begun to take a complex turn that, according to analysts, could lead to a long-term crisis, leaving civilians in a very difficult position.
Since 2024, Hadramaut has witnessed a military escalation following the creation by Amro bin Habreesh of armed forces called the “Hadramaut Protection Forces,” as a parallel contingent to the internationally recognized “Hadrami elite.”
In the latest deployment on the ground, tribal militias announced their total control over the oil fields of Al-Masila, the largest government oil sales company in Hadramaut.
In their statement, the militias said their goal is to strengthen security in the oil fields and defend national wealth from any external attack or intervention, considering it the heritage of the people.
Add Saleh Al-Duwaila, spokesman for the tribal alliance, said that what is happening on the ground constitutes the beginning of the “battles of Hadramaut.” He noted in a social media post that Hadramaut has been a long-delayed battle that has been in the making for some time and confirmed that “zero hour” is near.
Tribal mobilization
Yemeni analysts believe that tribal mobilization and recruitment herald a far-reaching crisis, threaten the unity of the Yemeni people, and gratuitously serve external actors who are stalking the country.
Political writer Samih Bahajjaj stated that Hadramaut is going through “a sensitive phase that requires a high degree of awareness and responsibility.” He emphasized that “threats cannot be a solution to any cause.”
He added that “societies are not built on escalation or violence, but on wisdom and mutual respect,” and stressed that “the blood of one Hadrami is sacred to another Hadrami.” He asserted that the language of threat reduces the space for reason and leads to conflicts that benefit no one, with society being the main loser.
Samih Bahajjaj recalled that Hadramaut has historically been an example of peace and coexistence and has not experienced internal conflicts, warning that threatening rhetoric puts this valuable legacy at risk. He also warned that once discord breaks out, it is difficult to quell, and that those who love Hadramaut must preserve its social unity and calm the situation. Finally, he stressed that dialogue and consensus are the best way forward, because “Hadramaut is bigger than disputes and too valuable to become a battlefield.”
Brutal attacks
The mobilization of armed groups has led to attacks on vital facilities, endangering state resources and unarmed civilians, as well as opening the door to foreign intervention.
On Saturday, November 29, 2025, tribal militias attacked positions belonging to the Business Protection Forces and stormed the facilities of the oil company PetroMasila, in a move described as “aggression and a dangerous escalation.”
The command of the Second Military Region in Hadramaut condemned the attack and stated that the action “represents a direct attack on the resources of the people and on a facility that constitutes one of the most important pillars of the national economy.”
It asserted that “these attacks pose an explicit threat to the security and stability of Hadramaut, and attempt to drag the province into chaos by attacking Hadrami elite units and oil facilities.”
The military institution assured that, in accordance with its national and constitutional responsibilities, it will take all necessary measures to protect oil facilities, especially the PetroMasila fields, and that it will “strike with an iron fist anyone who attempts to damage them.”
It called on all parties to “put reason first and resolve disagreements through peaceful means, far from any practices that could lead to disastrous consequences.”
Al-Qaeda lurks
Tribal recruitment threatens the stability of the region, the world, and maritime transport routes given Hadramaut's strategic location. Furthermore, confronting legitimate southern forces in Hadramaut weakens the common front against the Houthis and Al-Qaeda and gratuitously serves Iran's project to fragment Yemen and prolong the war.
Analysts see tribal recruitment as paving the way—“carpeted with flowers”—for the resurgence of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Others do not rule out the Houthis’ involvement in this tribal movement.
Al-Qaeda suffered a resounding defeat on April 24, 2016, at the hands of the Hadrami elite with the support of the Arab coalition, after having controlled Al-Mukalla and large areas of Hadramaut between 2015 and 2016, taking advantage of the state's weakness and its distraction on other fronts.
Last August, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula issued a statement from Hadramaut calling for a halt to oil exports and an intensification of the confrontation with the legitimate government.
It directly incited people to take up arms and attack those it described as “collaborators,” using the Gaza issue as an excuse to mobilize public opinion, attempting to present the fall of the Yemeni government as support for the Palestinian people.
This call coincides with the view of the Houthi militia, which has repeatedly used oil as a tool for political and economic blackmail. Analysts do not rule out the existence of an undeclared alliance between the two sides.
Many observers point out that the language and content of the statement seemed to be written “in Houthi ink” and copied from the “Saada notebooks,” referring to the obvious similarity to Houthi propaganda discourse.
Analysts explain that Al-Qaeda understands that relocating requires taking advantage of highly sensitive issues, including Hadramaut's oil resources, which represent a vital economic artery for the legitimate government.
A study by the Yemen and Gulf Center for Studies indicated that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has undergone profound transformations due to internal and external factors.
These transformations have brought it closer than ever to the “Axis of Resistance” led by Tehran.
The study predicts that the organization will increase its jihadist activities on two fronts:
- areas liberated under the authority of the legitimate government,
- and international interests in Yemen or abroad.
Proximity to the Houthis could provide the group with safe havens and qualitative capabilities that would impact its military and security activity.
The study concludes that “while these changes represent an opportunity for its leader, Khaled Batarfi, to evade current difficulties, they also fuel further internal divisions and threaten the group's ability to maintain its independence and activity on the ground.”