Mohammed Aydah, a Yemeni correspondent for Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya television and its sister channel Al Hadath, was killed late Wednesday when a bomb planted on his car exploded in the city of Mukalla, located in Yemen's eastern Hadramout governorate, the network confirmed on Thursday.
Background of the Attack
According to Al Arabiya, Mukalla's security authorities had warned Aydah approximately one month ago that his life was under threat, though they did not provide further details. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the assassination.
Political Context
The killing comes amid heightened political tensions in Yemen following clashes between Saudi-backed forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and UAE-backed separatists from the Southern Transitional Council (STC). These clashes occurred between November and January, during which Mukalla changed hands multiple times. Currently, Saudi-backed forces are in control of the city.
Reactions
The STC issued a statement condemning the assassination, describing it as a sign of broader security issues in Hadramout. The council blamed the deteriorating security situation on the dismantling of units under its command that had previously played a key role in ousting al Qaeda from the region in 2016.
