Yemen: Protests likely in Aden through late August

Event

Further protests denouncing living conditions and power outages remain likely in Aden through late August following related demonstrations in recent days. Demonstrations occurred in Al-Mansoura, Sheikh Othman, and Khormaksar districts in recent days, with some protesters burning tires and obstructing road traffic. Unconfirmed reports suggest security forces have used live ammunition to disperse previous protests.

Power outages will likely continue to impact parts of Aden Governorate over the short term. Related demonstrations cannot be ruled out in the Aden area or any other urban areas in the country experiencing power outages over the coming days. Transport and business disruptions are possible in areas subject to protest activity. Security forces may attempt to forcibly disperse additional demonstrators in the affected areas.

Context

Southern Yemen has long been afflicted by frequent power, water, and fuel shortages; however, a long-term depreciation of the Yemeni riyal in government-held areas has led to rising inflation and worsening social discontent. The basic drivers of the crisis in the south include a population largely dependent on foreign aid, subsidized basic commodities such as fuel, a near-total reliance on imported goods, the existence of two rival economic systems, uncontrolled inflation, and a foreign exchange crisis. The UN estimates over 80 percent of Yemen's population of 28 million is reliant on some form of humanitarian assistance. Widespread underdevelopment, in addition to the large-scale destruction of infrastructure as a result of the country's civil war, has only exacerbated the south’s socio-economic crisis.

Advice

Avoid all protests due to the possibility of clashes. Monitor local media for details concerning protest activity; organizers may not announce plans in advance. Do not attempt to bypass roadblocks; wait for local authorities to remove them. Heed instructions from authorities. Avoid travel at night.