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Yemen Forms ‘National Shield Forces’ Headed by Al-Alimi

Al-Alimi upon his return to Aden on Saturday. (Saba)
Al-Alimi upon his return to Aden on Saturday. (Saba)
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Yemen Forms ‘National Shield Forces’ Headed by Al-Alimi

Al-Alimi upon his return to Aden on Saturday. (Saba)
Al-Alimi upon his return to Aden on Saturday. (Saba)

Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi issued a presidential decree to form the “National Shield Forces,” a military force under his direct command.

The decree is part of efforts, carried out by the higher military and security commission, to restructure the many military formations in Yemen and bring them under the Defense Ministry.

The National Shield Forces will act as a reserve force that answers to the commander of the armed forces, al-Alimi.

Al-Alimi will determine the number of the members of the force, its duties and area of operations.

Al-Alimi had returned to the Yemeni interim capital Aden from Riyadh. He has been away from Aden for nearly 50 days.

In official statements, he underscored the keenness of the PLC and government in committing to their pledges to the Yemeni people.

The pledges include working from inside Yemen, rebuilding state institutions, improving living and economic conditions and consolidating Yemen’s standing in its regional and international surroundings.

Al-Alimi said the new year will witness the laying of the foundation stone of several service and development projects with the support of the Arab coalition that is led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

He expressed his gratitude to the coalition and donor countries that “constantly respond” to Yemen’s appeals to ease the humanitarian suffering of its people.

He blamed the dire humanitarian crisis on the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militias.

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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)

Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.

The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.

The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.

The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.

Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar al-Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.

After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Kurds made up 10% of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.