Abuses, Extortion, and Theft… Scandals Rock Brotherhood Strongholds in Yemen

Major scandals have shaken the Al-Islah Party militia — the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood — in the governorates of Hadramout and Taiz, uncovering a disturbing motive behind their persistent efforts to maintain control in those regions.

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In Hadramout, the Al-Wadi’a border crossing with Saudi Arabia has become a hotspot for widespread violations and illegal practices carried out by the 2nd Battalion of the 141st Brigade, affiliated with Al-Islah and assigned to secure the crossing. According to Al-Umanaa Net, multiple citizens and investors have filed complaints against the battalion’s commander and personnel, accusing them of causing economic and security chaos in the surrounding area.

The complaints include allegations of illegal daily levies imposed on shopkeepers, restaurants, hotels, and khat vendors — estimated to amount to nearly one million Yemeni rials per day. Fixed charges are also reportedly imposed on each khat bag and currency exchange transaction.

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These practices go beyond extortion: hotel owners are forced to provide one free room out of every five for battalion guests and to offer free meals. Vehicle drivers and tobacco traders are charged fees of up to 6,000 Saudi riyals for permission to move goods that may be held for months, often resulting in spoilage. Even gas dealers are targeted, being forced to pay up to 500 rials per gas cylinder.

The complaints also reveal that the battalion has unlawfully seized about 3 square kilometers of state land near the international highway, which they have developed into markets, hotels, and restaurants for their own benefit. The battalion’s commander, Umair Murshid Al-Azab, along with several officers, is explicitly accused of orchestrating these actions.

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Perhaps most alarming is the reported existence of eight unofficial detention centers operated by the battalion outside the control of the judiciary. Anyone who resists or refuses to pay the imposed fees is said to be arbitrarily detained there.

These revelations come amid ongoing disorder in other Brotherhood-controlled areas. In Taiz, military elements loyal to the Al-Islah-affiliated Taiz Axis have, for the fourth consecutive day, been looting revenue from khat taxes.

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According to Al-Muntasaf Net, Brotherhood-aligned forces are using violence to seize control of revenue collection points, siphoning off nearly 25 million Yemeni rials per day from public funds, without any official intervention to stop this “misappropriation of state resources.”

These actions have sparked widespread outrage among the public, as such revenue looting and illegal extortion by Brotherhood-linked armed groups have become increasingly frequent in areas under the authority of the legitimate government.

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