A few days after announcing the official liberation of the three districts of Yemen’s Shabwah governorate from the hold of Houthi militias, Governor Awadh al-Awlaqi pledged to bring about a development revolution in the newly freed county.
In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Awlaqi confirmed that unifying ranks and raising Shabwah’s interests above the interests of political parties and organizations played a significant role in defeating the common enemy, the Iran-backed Houthis.
The governor stressed that aerial support from the Saudi-led Arab Coalition was “decisive” in freeing Bayhan district and achieving victories against coup militias in a short period. Al-Awlaqi also commended the prominent role of the Yemeni Army’s Giants Brigades and predicted military units making a push for liberating nearby governorates.
Freeing Bayhan:
Close follow up from the country’s political leadership and Arab Coalition active countries, especially the UAE, played an integral part in freeing all three regions of Bayhan, noted al-Awlaqi, adding that the Giants Brigades had a major role in regaining control of the district.
“Shabwah governorate has been completely cleansed of Houthi militias, and engineering teams are still working in full swing in the three liberated districts,” al-Awlaqi told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Things are fine, and we hope to see a development revolution, and that the three districts will receive a generous gesture from the authorities and leadership,” he added.
The governor thanked Yemen’s political leadership represented by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Arab Coalition countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the Giants Brigades.
He wished injured soldiers from the Giants Brigades a quick recovery.
Responding to a question about the continuation of military operations beyond Shabwah, al-Awlaqi said: “It seems that some units will advance to other governorates, but for us, matters have been resolved in Shabwah.”
Keys to a Speedy Liberation:
Shabwah’s liberation from Houthi hold was achieved at a remarkable speed. For al-Awlaqi, this can be attributed to two key factors: the unification of ranks and military action conducted by the Arab Coalition from the air and the Giants Brigades on the ground.
“Unity shown by the political parties in Shabwah and prioritizing the interests of the governorate is important to maintaining the governorate’s stability and liberation,” said al-Awlaqi.
“We sat with all parties, and there was an understanding on the governorate’s best interest superseding all political trends,” he added, noting that such an agreement is the product of logic and sophistication upheld by Shabwah’s residents.
When describing the contribution of the Arab Coalition to freeing Shabwah, al-Awlaqi said: “Without the Saudi-led Coalition, things would not have been resolved so quickly.”
“The role of the Coalition’s aviation was effective and key. Had it not been for the aviation and the airstrikes, matters would not have been decided so quickly.”
On the ground, the Giants Brigades had the key role in freeing Shabwah.
“We thank and appreciate their efforts,” said al-Awlaqi, adding that he hoped the support would be extended to Shabwah’s development.
Al-Awlaqi stated that the process of normalizing the situation in the districts liberated from the Houthi group is taking place at a good pace with the follow-up of the local authorities and the assistance of the army forces.
“Local authorities in the liberated districts are following the process of normalizing the situation, and the presence of the army helps in this aspect,” he said.
The governor pointed out that some humanitarian assistance was delivered to the freed governorate by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center but added that more aid is needed in Shabwah.
