Security tensions flared in Aden's Tawahi district on Sunday morning surrounding the Yemeni Coast Guard headquarters after the Minister of Interior attempted to unilaterally impose a new leadership structure in contravention of legal procedures.
A statement released by the Coast Guard authority indicated that a committee, dispatched by Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan, arrived at the headquarters accompanied by military vehicles and armored personnel carriers. Coast Guard leadership informed the committee that higher directives had been issued to halt the implementation of the minister's appointment order and any related actions.
While the Coast Guard welcomed the committee members into the premises, they insisted that the accompanying military vehicles and armored units remain outside the compound. The statement further noted that the situation was managed according to "effective higher directives" after communication attempts with the Minister of Interior proved unsuccessful. Reports emerged of military elements accompanying the minister's committee attempting to forcibly enter the headquarters, discharging firearms into the air, and utilizing various weapons in the vicinity.
This incident caused significant unease outside the main gate of the facility before the forces eventually withdrew. The disruption led to the cancellation of a scheduled visit by a foreign ambassador and the suspension of specialized training courses involving international experts. The Coast Guard authority reaffirmed its commitment to institutional work, adherence to the law, and compliance with higher directives, urging that any administrative disputes be resolved through official channels to preserve state institutions' integrity and stability.
Background information suggests that the individual appointed by Minister Haydan to lead the Coast Guard is reportedly not affiliated with the Ministry of Interior and has no prior connection to the agency. Yemeni journalist Fares Al-Himyari identified the appointee as Qais Majed Abdo Saif Ismail, stating he lacks a relevant professional record and has no ties to the Coast Guard. Al-Himyari further alleged that the appointment was based on personal relationships rather than professional merit, noting that such appointments are constitutionally within the purview of the Presidential Leadership Council.
Al-Himyari also presented official documents indicating that Minister Haydan had previously secured a presidential decree appointing Ismail as Undersecretary for Financial and Administrative Affairs at the Counter-Terrorism Agency in Aden and promoting him to Brigadier General. However, the General Directorate of Officer Affairs within the Ministry of Interior in Aden issued a clarification stating that Ismail is not affiliated with the ministry, and his name matches an individual in the Ministry of Defense, with rank conferral falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense.
In related developments, activists reported that a father and his children narrowly escaped injury during the clashes near the Coast Guard headquarters. A video circulated by activists showed a civilian vehicle damaged by an armored personnel carrier involved in the confrontations. The driver and his three children were reportedly trapped inside the vehicle amidst the gunfire, with remnants of medium weaponry ammunition visible near the car.
