The first societal uprising against the UAE authorities took place in Shabwa province, eastern Yemen, Yemen press agency reported on Monday.
Local sources confirmed that dozens of residents of Al-Rawdha district, east of Ataq city, the provincial capital, went out on Sunday in a protest against what they called the policy of regional exclusion and marginalization by the governor loyal to the UAE in Shabwa, Awdh Al-Wazir Al-Awlaqi.
The protesters emphasized that Al-Awlaqi, affiliated with the General People’s Congress, had overthrown a number of local officials from Al-Rawdha district, expelled its cadres, and replaced them with others from outside the district.
After taking control of Shabwa at the beginning of this year, the UAE followed a systematic policy to root out all officials associated with the previous Islah Party authorities in Shabwa.
The pro-UAE authorities have completed the policy of uprooting the military and security presence of the Islah party from Shabwa in the recent confrontations that erupted in Ataq in early August.
