The Transitional Council in Lahj declares its rebellion against the local authority in the governorate and threatens escalation

The Transitional Council in Lahj Governorate announced, on Saturday, its rebellion against the local authority in the governorate, a day after the local authority decided to suspend officials in the Transitional Council against the backdrop of storming the governorate building.

Last Friday, the Executive Office of Lahj Governorate arrested the leader of the Transitional Council, the Deputy Governor of Lahj for Youth Affairs, Wadah Al-Halimi, and referred him to investigation, on the background of incitement against the decisions of the local authority, the last of which was storming the governorate building last Wednesday.

According to sources for "Yemeni Youth Net", the local leadership of the Transitional Council in Lahj announced its rejection of the decisions of the executive office in the governorate, which approved referring the intruders of the governorate's office to investigation, in a rebellion against the local authority in the governorate.

Last Wednesday, the Security Belt Forces affiliated with the Transitional Council stormed the new governorate building with military vehicles and heavily armed soldiers, under the pretext of raising the (separatist) flag over the governorate building, during the governor’s absence.

On Friday, the local authority decided to suspend the work of the Deputy Governor of Lahj for Youth Affairs, "Waddah Al-Halimi", on charges of exploiting his public office, inciting and threatening against the local authority's administrative decisions, obstructing sports and literary activities, and most recently inciting the storming of the local authority building.

According to the governor's secretary, the office supported the decision of the Lahj Police Director, Brigadier General Nasser Al-Shawhati, to suspend the officers belonging to the governorate's police who participated in the storming operation, refer them for investigation, and submit a report within three days.

He stressed that the meeting approved sending an urgent memorandum to the commander of the ground forces, Major General Ali Ahmed Al-Bishi, to take military measures and investigate the commander of the Fifth Brigade camp, Hashem Al-Sayed (affiliated with the Transitional Council), for carrying out the storming operation with a number of combat crews, according to the source.

The Executive Office in Lahj also sent another urgent memo to the Counter-Terrorism Commander, "Shalal Shaye", to take security measures and investigate the Counter-Terrorism Commander in the governorate, "Abu Wissam", for his participation in the storming operation by a force affiliated with the Counter-Terrorism.

In turn, the Turkish governor confirmed that he has no problem with Yafa or Al-Dhale’; rather, his problem is with a group of thugs, including four officers, who stormed the local government building by force.

He added in a video clip, from in front of the governorate building, that the gathering of people in front of the governorate building is not a tribal gathering; rather, it is a gathering to arrest the accused and hold them accountable according to the law.

He stressed that during the meeting, a decision was taken against everyone who contributed and stormed in, without respecting the security forces present at the building gate, and the reckless driving and arrogance, up to raising the flag, stressing that he is not against raising the flag (referring to the fact that he is not against raising the separatist flag in the building).

He continued in a speech addressed to the Transitional Forces: "They should not outbid us in patriotism. We are more patriotic than them," noting that their storming of the governorate building was for their personal interests with their leadership.

The incident was met with rejection by Al-Turki and the Subaiha tribes to which the governor belongs, who gathered on Thursday at the governor’s house and headed to the governorate building on Friday, where they stressed the need to hand over the intruders and restore the reputation of the Turkish governor and the state institutions.