SHABWA, Yemen — On January 1, 2025, Sheikh Salem bin Talab Al-Hadar Al-Talibi publicly denied allegations linking his brother, Sheikh Abdulqader bin Talib Al-Talibi, to a recruitment network operating for the Houthi movement in Shabwa, a region in eastern Yemen classified as a terrorist organization by international bodies.

In an exclusive statement to "Barran Press," Sheikh Salem described earlier reports as “misleading and inaccurate,” asserting that they aimed to undermine the movement of the Free Shabwa and its leader, Abdulqader Al-Talib. He accused the reports of attempting to disrupt the political landscape in the province and fracture the cohesive social fabric of its residents.

Salem suggested that the information could have been part of a trap or the result of infiltration by hostile elements posing as security officials. He expressed concern that such misinformation could incite unrest and divert attention from the community’s ongoing struggle for rights and stability.

“If there are any security allegations against us, we are prepared to appear before the judiciary,” he stated, emphasizing their willingness to confront any official charges head-on. He also urged media outlets to verify the authenticity of information received, even from official sources, as many have been compromised by adversarial entities seeking to sow discord for political and military ends.

The denial follows a December 26 report from a security source alleging that the Houthi movement had been actively recruiting young men in Shabwa, with claims that Abdulqader Al-Talibi was leading a network facilitating this recruitment. Both Abdulqader and Salem Al-Talibi have firmly rejected these assertions, framing them as fabrications.

The publication of this statement by "Barran Press," along with the denial from Sheikh Salem, comes as an exercise of the right to respond, as safeguarded by Yemen’s press laws.