Hadhramawt Tribes Confederacy gave DNO, (Norwegian-based Oil company) an ultimatum this Saturday, calling on management to halt all activities until their demands of retributions be fulfilled by Sana’a central government.
Hadhramawt tribes have targeted oil fields and oil companies in the province since December in denunciation of the accidental death of a prominent local tribal leader, Sheikh Said bin Habrish. The Sheikh was killed in a gunfight in the southern province of al-Baydha when his bodyguards refused to hand over their weapons at a military checkpoint. Even though President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi expressed his most sincere regrets over the incident, having offered to compensate the tribe and relatives for their loss, Hadhramawt tribes nevertheless rose in protest, calling for the price of blood instead.
Tribesmen have since then demanded that the soldiers responsible for the Sheikh’s death be handed over to them for execution, terms Sana’a has refused to honour.
A unwitting pawn in a dangerous power play, DNO finds itself caught in the crossfire, held hostage by Hadhramawt tribes.
Determined to carry its message across the coalition of tribes targeted on Saturday two soldiers assigned to the security of DNO-operated oil field; another soldier was reportedly injured and transported to hospital.
This attack was followed on Sunday by yet another hit against soldiers posted near DNO installations. The tribal gunmen in vehicles attacked an on oil installation operated by Norwegian DNO in the suburbs of Hadramout province," a local official told APA on condition of anonymity. Three soldiers were killed as a result, putting the death toll to five over the past 48 hours alone.
DNO acting manager, Bjorn Dale confirmed that his company was targeted on Friday after it received an ultimatum from Hadhramawt Tribes Confederacy, ordering a halt in activity. “There was an attack yesterday on a military vehicle close to a military checkpoint. The attack took place several kilometres south of our facility. DNO received a letter from the organisation Hadramout Tribes Confederacy on Friday,” told the press.
He added, “We are taking the situation very seriously. We are evaluating the situation on a continual basis. Our main priority is the security of our employees and we would not do anything that would put their lives at risk.” DNO local partner in Yemen is believed to be businessman Shaher Abdulhak Saleh.