عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Coalition Stresses Its Commitment to Protecting Yemen’s Hadhramaut, Shabwah

Forces deployed in Shabwah. (Local authority)
Forces deployed in Shabwah. (Local authority)
TT
TT

Coalition Stresses Its Commitment to Protecting Yemen’s Hadhramaut, Shabwah

Forces deployed in Shabwah. (Local authority)
Forces deployed in Shabwah. (Local authority)

The command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen stressed on Saturday its support for the Shabwah governorate.

It welcomed the statement issued by the local authority in the Yemeni governorate that underlined coordination and joint work with the coalition to secure Shabwah and avert any tensions.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said the alliance welcomes Shabwah Governor Sheikh Awad Mohammed al-Wazir's statement that stressed support for the coalition.

The coalition is committed to protecting Shabwah and its stability, said Malki.

No forces will enter the governorate without prior coordination with the governor, he added.

Shabwah Secretary Fahd al-Khalifi said Saudi Arabia “plays a pivotal role in Arab, Islamic and international decision-making".

It has played “a historic role in supporting Yemen” on various levels, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Kingdom met the call to support Yemen’s legitimacy by launching Operation Decisive Storm “to confront the terrorist Houthi sectarian coup out of its responsibility towards Yemen and the region’s security and stability”, he added.

He underscored his confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership under Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcoming its decision to host a conference for southern forces in Riyadh.

He hoped the conference will meet the aspirations of the people of southern Yemen, stressing that their cause is central to peace across the country. He also hoped it will help in uniting ranks to confront the terrorist Houthi militias.

Meanwhile, Shabwah elders and social figures stressed their full support for Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi and the decisions taken by the legitimate government to unite ranks, protect state institutions and preserve security and stability in eastern governorates.

In a statement, they rejected their categorical rejection of the “militarization” of the governorates and attempts to impose a fait accompli against the wishes of their people.

The people of the governorates are not subordinate to any agendas that do not represent them, they said in reference to the Southern Transitional Council’s unilateral military moves in the area.

They warned against dragging the governorates into conflicts that do not serve the higher national interest.

They underscored their support for Saudi Arabia’s firm stances in backing Yemen’s legitimate government and its role in maintaining security and stability.

They hailed its positive response to demands to hold a conference to address the southern issue.

They also called on the STC leadership to return to reason and withdraw its forces from Shabwah, Hadhramaut and al-Mahra, return to dialogue with other legitimate forces to unite ranks and serve the higher national interest.

Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber said the Kingdom welcomes the stances of the southern leaderships, saying they were an important step in protecting the southern cause.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Israel Court Extends Gaza Flotilla Activists’ Detention Until Sunday

Brazil's activist Thiago Avila is escorted into court in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
Brazil's activist Thiago Avila is escorted into court in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Israel Court Extends Gaza Flotilla Activists’ Detention Until Sunday

Brazil's activist Thiago Avila is escorted into court in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on May 5, 2026. (AFP)
Brazil's activist Thiago Avila is escorted into court in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on May 5, 2026. (AFP)

An Israeli court has extended the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla until Sunday, a rights group representing them said, as authorities continue to question the pair.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the city of Ashkelon for their second hearing on Tuesday, after they were brought to Israel for questioning last week.

The two, held in a prison in the southern Israeli city, were among dozens of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Greece early on Thursday.

At their first hearing on Sunday, the court extended their detention by two days. A second hearing was held on Tuesday, where both appeared with their legs shackled.

"The court approved their detention until Sunday morning" at Tuesday's hearing, Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the Israeli rights group Adalah told AFP.

An AFP journalist saw the two activists brought to the courtroom.

Adalah said the two activists were on hunger strike, with Tuesday their sixth day of protest.

On Monday, the rights group alleged the pair had been subjected to physical and psychological abuse in detention.

- Abuse claims -

Both Abu Keshek and Avila are being held in isolation, with "high-intensity lighting" on at all times in their cells, Adalah said, adding that Avila was being held in "extremely cold temperatures".

"They are kept blindfolded at all times whenever they are moved outside their cells, including during medical examinations," it said.

Israeli authorities have rejected the abuse claims.

At Sunday's hearing, Adalah said the state attorney had presented a list of offences the pair were accused of, including "assisting the enemy during wartime" and "membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization".

But Adalah's lawyers challenged the state's jurisdiction, arguing there had been an "unlawful abduction" of the two activists in international waters.

Israel's foreign ministry said both individuals were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group accused by Washington of "clandestinely acting on behalf of" Palestinian group Hamas.

The ministry said Abu Keshek was a leading PCPA member, and that Avila was also linked to the group and "suspected of illegal activity".

The flotilla's vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza and bringing humanitarian supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory.

But they were intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Greece.

The Global Sumud Flotilla's first voyage last year was also intercepted by Israeli forces off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

Throughout the Gaza war that started in October 2023, there have been shortages of critical supplies in the territory, with Israel at times cutting off aid entirely.

Arab World

With Wood Scarce, Gaza Carpenters Make Simple Beds from Pallets

Palestinian carpenter Mohammed Wafi builds furniture from recycled wooden pallets in his workshop amid shortages of materials in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 2, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinian carpenter Mohammed Wafi builds furniture from recycled wooden pallets in his workshop amid shortages of materials in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 2, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

With Wood Scarce, Gaza Carpenters Make Simple Beds from Pallets

Palestinian carpenter Mohammed Wafi builds furniture from recycled wooden pallets in his workshop amid shortages of materials in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 2, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinian carpenter Mohammed Wafi builds furniture from recycled wooden pallets in his workshop amid shortages of materials in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 2, 2026. (Reuters)

As Israeli restrictions continue to curb the entry of goods into Gaza, local carpenters are turning to scrap wood and shipping pallets to make much-needed basic beds and tables in a strip battered by two years of war between Hamas and Israel.

In a workshop in southern Gaza, carpenters dismantle used pallets to make beds, cupboards, and shelves for families displaced by fighting, after regular construction materials became scarce or prohibitively expensive.

Mohammed Wafi, 34, a carpenter in Khan Younis, said pallets became one of the few available sources of wood when limited ‌aid trucks began entering ‌Gaza.

Demand for his handiwork has grown as people living ‌in ⁠tents seek basic furniture ⁠to get by, Wafi said. Even recycled furniture has become more costly as prices for basic components soar.

"Today people say, 'I just need something to get by, something to get my clothes off the floor'... especially those (living) in tents," said Wafi, who has worked in carpentry for 16 years.

"Due to the rats and cockroaches, they need a tent or a bed to be lifted off the ground," he said.

Rats and parasites are spreading ⁠through Gaza's tent camps, biting people as they sleep, gnawing through ‌possessions, and spreading disease.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency ‌that coordinates aid into Gaza, didn't respond to a request for comment. Wood is a construction material ‌that Israel bans from entry to Gaza because it is considered a dual-use ‌item - items for civilian but also potential military use.

"We used to get a kilo of nails for 5 shekels ($1.70). Today, a kilo of nails costs around 100 or 130 shekels," Wafi said. Hinges and other fittings have also multiplied in price.

Still, furniture made from pallets remains far ‌cheaper than conventional bedroom sets, consisting of a bed, closet and dresser, he said. A pallet set sells for 4,000 to ⁠5,000 shekels compared ⁠to 18,000 for a traditional set.

Shortages of electricity and wood have slowed production, he added, leaving carpenters unable to guarantee delivery times.

The ceasefire in Gaza has been repeatedly violated, with over 830 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reported killed since it began in October, according to Palestinian and Israeli tallies.

Israel cites security concerns for curbs on Gaza, and COGAT has previously said it invests considerable efforts to ensure aid reaches Gaza and has denied restricting supplies.

In tent encampments near Khan Younis, Mohammed Tayseer, who has lived in a tent for two years, said he slept on the ground until recently.

"The ground is sandy and dirty, and as you can see, you find the clothes full of sand. There are rats and mice," he said.

"One's back hurts and is stiff from sleeping on the floor... now (we) have a bed," he said.

Arab World

Sudan Recalls Ambassador to Ethiopia After Airport Attack

Smoke rises, following a drone attack in Khartoum airport, in Khartoum, Sudan, in this screengrab taken from social media video released on May 4, 2026. (Social media/Reuters TV via Reuters)
Smoke rises, following a drone attack in Khartoum airport, in Khartoum, Sudan, in this screengrab taken from social media video released on May 4, 2026. (Social media/Reuters TV via Reuters)
TT
TT

Sudan Recalls Ambassador to Ethiopia After Airport Attack

Smoke rises, following a drone attack in Khartoum airport, in Khartoum, Sudan, in this screengrab taken from social media video released on May 4, 2026. (Social media/Reuters TV via Reuters)
Smoke rises, following a drone attack in Khartoum airport, in Khartoum, Sudan, in this screengrab taken from social media video released on May 4, 2026. (Social media/Reuters TV via Reuters)

Sudan has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, accusing the country of involvement in a drone attack targeting the airport in the capital, the official news agency SUNA reported Tuesday.

A military source told AFP that Sudanese air defenses downed drones that targeted Khartoum airport on Monday, while witnesses confirmed hearing blasts and seeing smoke rise from an area nearby.

Drone attacks by both Sudan's army and paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war since April 2023, have intensified across the country in recent months.

The Sudanese military accused RSF in March of launching drone attacks "from inside Ethiopian territory", the first public allegation of Ethiopian involvement in the conflict.

Mohieddin Salem, the Sudanese army-aligned government's foreign minister, "announced the recall of Sudan's ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations regarding the drone attack on Khartoum International Airport on Monday," SUNA quoted Salem as saying in a statement.

Salem "stated that it has been conclusively proven that the attack originated from Ethiopia, a country that is supposed to be a sister nation," the statement added.