SHABWA, Yemen — On January 7, 2025, a local source reported that five members of the security forces in Shabwa province were killed or injured during an operation targeting individuals suspected of collaborating with the Houthi group in the Dahr district.

According to sources speaking to Barran Press, the security campaign was led by the director of the Al-Talh district and aimed at apprehending individuals accused of working for the internationally designated terrorist organization, the Houthis. The operation resulted in the deaths of Hassan Al-Hawat and Ali Omar Barwa’i, while the director of security for Al-Talh, Adel Balqafah, and his son Omar were injured.

The source noted that the security forces withdrew after the suspects fled to an unknown location, leading to the failure of the operation to capture them.

Simultaneously, gunfire was reported during a visit by Shabwa's acting governor, Dr. Abdulqawi Lamroq, who was inspecting a solar power station project in the provincial capital, Ataq.

In late December, security sources indicated an increase in recruitment activities by the Houthis in Shabwa, targeting local youth. The Iranian-backed group has reportedly been using financial incentives and weapons to attract young men in various districts, aiming to bolster their ranks.

The recruitment process involves enticing youths with money and arms at the district and village levels, followed by their transportation to Saada province via desert routes through Al-Jawf. Reports suggest that the recruitment occurs in batches of approximately 40 individuals, with Houthis providing meals and logistics for their movement.

The source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, warned of a significant Houthi plot targeting Shabwa, with intelligence gathering beginning in late November 2024. The Houthis are believed to be positioned in several highland areas on the western outskirts of Shabwa, adjacent to Al-Bayda and Harib provinces south of Marib.