Hadi Rejects Copying Iran’s Experience in Yemen, Urges Independence of Judiciary

Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi meeting with officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Saba news agency)
Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi meeting with officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Saba news agency)
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Hadi Rejects Copying Iran’s Experience in Yemen, Urges Independence of Judiciary

Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi meeting with officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Saba news agency)
Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi meeting with officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Saba news agency)

With Iran-backed militias keeping up a fierce offensive against Yemen’s Taiz and Marib governorates and continuing to violate the UN-sponsored Hodeidah Agreement, President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi on Sunday called for unity against attempts for copying the Iranian experience in the war-torn country.

Hadi’s remarks were made during statements he gave after holding separate meetings with the Yemeni vice president, prime minister and senior judiciary officials.

“We feel the magnitude of the suffering and difficulties facing our people,” said Hadi, blaming Iran-aligned Houthis for current challenges and crises facing the country.

“The unjust war imposed by the Houthi coup militia continues to serve Iran's agenda,” reaffirmed Hadi, accusing the group of seeking to impose an alien experience on Yemen.

On importing the Iran process, Hadi said it was “unacceptable no matter what it costs Yemenis in sacrifices.”

The Yemeni leader, according to the state-owned Saba news agency, also thanked states participating in the Saudi-led Arab Coalition for their valuable multi-faceted support.

Arab Coalition countries have fought alongside the internationally-recognized Yemeni government against a violent Iran-backed insurgency spearheaded by Houthi militias which broke out over six years ago.

Other than supporting the Yemeni army, Arab Coalition states have also backed public and development services focused on alleviating burdens faced by Yemenis.

During his meetings with officials, Hadi was briefed on the status quo of battlefronts across Yemen and government efforts for improving services in liberated governorates.

Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed presented a report detailing the practical steps taken by the government in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on the delivery of a fuel grant from the kingdom to ease the suffering of Yemenis during the Islam’s holy month of fasting, Ramadan.

The report also included the Yemeni government’s efforts for securing the salaries of civil servants in the battle-weary country.

As for Hadi’s extraordinary meeting with the Supreme Judicial Council on Sunday, it included senior officials like Justice Minister Badr Al-Arda and Attorney General Ahmed Al-Mousai.

Touching on the complex and difficult reality witnessed in Yemen today, Hadi stressed the importance of the judiciary and its effective role as a fundamental pillar of the state.

He went on to stress the importance of uniting the ranks of the judiciary to serve nation.

Preserving the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and steering it clear from political quarrels is vital, reaffirmed Hadi.

He also stressed the need to stop all forms of obstruction of justice and reiterated the need for commitment to administrative and financial transparency.



Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
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Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box from a plane crash in Türkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army.

General Mohammed al-Haddad and four aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an electrical failure caused their Falcon 50 jet to crash shortly after takeoff.

Three crew members, two of them French, were also killed.

The aircraft's black box flight recorder was found on farmland near the crash site.

"We coordinated directly with Britain for the analysis" of the black box, Mohamed al-Chahoubi, transport minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said at a press conference in Tripoli.

Haddad was very popular in Libya despite deep divisions between west and east.

Haddad was chief of staff for the Tripoli-based GNU.

Chahoubi told AFP a request for the analysis was "made to Germany, which demanded France's assistance" to examine the aircraft's flight recorders.

"However, the Chicago Convention stipulates that the country analyzing the black box must be neutral," he said.

"Since France is a manufacturer of the aircraft and the crew was French, it is not qualified to participate. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, was accepted by Libya and Turkey."

After meeting the British ambassador to Tripoli on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour said a joint request had been submitted by Libya and Türkiye to Britain "to obtain technical and legal support for the analysis of the black box".

Chahoubi told Thursday's press briefing that Britain "announced its agreement, in coordination with the Libyan Ministry of Transport and the Turkish authorities".

He said it was not yet possible to say how long it would take to retrieve the flight data, as this depended on the state of the black box.

"The findings will be made public once they are known," Chahoubi said, warning against "false information" and urging the public not to pay attention to rumors.


STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
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STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)

Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen began on Thursday handing over military positions to the government’s National Shield forces in the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen.

Local sources in Hadhramaut confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the handover kicked off after meetings were held between the two sides.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the National Shield commanders met with STC leaderships to discuss future arrangements. The sourced did not elaborate, but they confirmed that Emirati armored vehicles, which had entered Balhaf port in Shabwah were seen departing on a UAE vessel, in line with a Yemeni government request.

The National Shield is overseen by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi.

A Yemeni official described Thursday’s developments as “positive” step towards uniting ranks and legitimacy against a common enemy – the Houthi groups.

The official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, underscored to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of “partnership between components of the legitimacy and of dialogue to resolve any future differences.”

Meanwhile, on the ground, Yemeni military sources revealed that some STC forces had refused to quit their positions, prompting the forces to dispatch an official to Hadhramaut’s Seiyun city to negotiate the situation.


One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
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One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

The Israeli military said its forces killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank in the early hours on Thursday as they opened fire on people who were throwing stones at soldiers.

Two other people were hit on a main ‌road near the ‌village of Luban ‌al-Sharqiya ⁠in Nablus, ‌the military statement added. It described the people as militants and said the stone-throwing was part of an ambush.

Palestinian authorities in the West Bank said ⁠a 26-year-old man they named as ‌Khattab Al Sarhan was ‍killed and ‍another person wounded.

Israeli forces had ‍closed the main entrance to the village of Luban al-Sharqiya, in Nablus, and blocked several secondary roads on Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA reported.

More ⁠than a thousand Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023 and October 2025, mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler violence, the UN has said.

Over the same period, 57 Israelis were killed ‌in Palestinian attacks.