Barran Press
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, Nabil Shamsan, the governor of Taiz province in southwestern Yemen, announced that the armed clashes that have erupted in Al-Wazi'ya district in western Taiz have ceased, and normal life has returned to the area.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Shamsan stated, “The armed confrontations in Al-Wazi'ya have stopped, and life has returned to normal, following our directives.” He added that he would convene a meeting on Friday, October 4, with senior tribal leaders from Al-Wazi'ya and Al-Shamayatain, as well as leaders from the Al-Zuhri and Al-Alaqima tribes, to address the underlying issues of the conflict.
A tribal source told Barran Press that the clashes were sparked by a tribal dispute involving members of the Al-Alaqima tribe in the area and some from the Al-Zuhri tribe. The conflict arose over the establishment of a police station and other security posts, although the source mentioned a prior agreement that could be revisited.
The source indicated that the intervention of Tariq Saleh’s forces in local and security matters in Taiz could exacerbate tensions between Al-Wazi'ya and Al-Shamayatain districts. He affirmed that this emerging dispute is now under the jurisdiction of the provincial governor, Shamsan.
Regarding the establishment of a police station in the triangle area that triggered the clashes, the source noted that it primarily concerns the Al-Alaqima residents, as police stations in Al-Shamayatain are far from them. In contrast, residents of Al-Wazi'ya or Al-Zuhri would not benefit from a new police center due to their proximity to existing police stations in their district.
The source emphasized that the current priority for both districts is to establish checkpoints to combat smuggling activities, which is also a concern for local authorities tasked with addressing any smuggling issues.
Since Monday, Al-Wazi'ya has witnessed violent confrontations between tribal militants and forces loyal to Tariq Saleh, known for their national resistance efforts along the western coast. The clashes intensified following the establishment of a police station in the area known as the Al-Zuhri triangle, leading to significant troop mobilization over the past two days and nighttime skirmishes involving medium and light weaponry, as well as drones deployed by Saleh's forces.
Saleh's forces accuse former leader Abu Diyab Al-Alaqimi of orchestrating the armed groups and initiating the attack on the police station, which was attended by leaders of the national resistance for its inauguration.
Sources indicate that both sides are vying for control over a key security point located in the Al-Zuhri triangle due to its significant revenue potential from smuggling operations.