Yemen Monitor/Aden/Exclusive
Security forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council opened fire on protesters in Aden to prevent them from reaching Al-Ma’ala Square, where a million-man march was planned to demand the disclosure of the fate of the abducted Colonel Ali Ashal Al-Ja’adani and to hold those involved in his case accountable.
Social media videos showed the firing and a heavy security presence in Al-Aroud Square and the streets leading to it to prevent protesters from holding the march.
Images and videos also showed armored vehicles trying to prevent citizens from reaching Al-Aroud Square amidst a large influx of participants in the march.
Local residents said that “despite the gunfire and barriers set up by the Transitional Council’s security forces, the protesters reached Al-Aroud Square in Khor Maksar to attend the Ashal million-man march.”
Eyewitnesses said that Khor Maksar police arrested five protesters, while other forces arrested members of the organizing committee for the Ashal million-man march.
The organizing committee for the march had set Saturday as the date for the long-awaited demonstration in Aden to demand the disclosure of the fate of the abducted Al-Ja’adani, while warning the Higher Security Committee in Aden of attempts to instigate marches that could be exploited to spread chaos.
The security committee, in a statement, called for restraint and unity to complete the procedures for apprehending the perpetrators.
On Thursday, Aden security announced that leaders and soldiers in forces affiliated with the STC were wanted in connection with the kidnapping and disappearance of Colonel Ashal since June 12.
Aden Security Director, Major General Mutahr Al-Shuaibi, said in a televised speech that the prosecution had issued an arrest warrant for Yisran Al-Maqtari, commander of the counterterrorism forces in Aden, and his deputy, Samer Al-Jandab, along with five other soldiers from the counterterrorism forces, the belt, and the free zone security.
He revealed that Al-Maqtari and Al-Jandab had fled abroad four days after the incident, noting that the Ministry of Interior had issued notices to Interpol to arrest them in the countries they were in and hand them over to the Yemeni authorities, affirming that investigations were still ongoing to apprehend all the accused and bring them to justice and to learn the fate of the victim.
