Sana’a – SABA:
Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr. Ali Al-Yafei, met today with the Governor of Aden, Tariq Salam, to discuss ongoing violations committed by occupation forces against historical, archaeological, and tourist landmarks in Aden and other occupied provinces.
The meeting reviewed the escalating threats facing these cultural sites, particularly in Aden, including looting, vandalism, and deliberate attempts to erase the civilizational and faith-based identity of the region. The minister emphasized that such efforts will ultimately fail thanks to the vigilance of free people in those provinces.
Dr. Al-Yafei stated that citizens in occupied areas, especially Aden, now recognize more than ever that the occupier has brought suffering and destruction, while attempting to impose a foreign culture incompatible with Yemeni values, principles, and religious identity.
He pointed to the systematic targeting and looting of heritage sites as clear evidence of the occupier’s true agenda—far removed from the false promises and deceptive narratives it has tried to sell over the past decade. “The only truth,” he stressed, “is that the occupier is not here for Yemen’s benefit, but for its own greed and ambitions at the expense of the Yemeni people.”
The minister called for unity to prevent the division and fragmentation that occupation forces are working to entrench. He urged all efforts to confront these schemes and preserve Yemen’s national unity and cultural identity. He also called on free citizens in the occupied areas to reject internal disputes and focus instead on resisting the occupiers and thwarting their plans to liberate the provinces.
For his part, Governor Tariq Salam praised the efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in protecting historical and archaeological sites and supporting cultural and tourism sectors, as well as promoting the role of intellectuals and creatives across disciplines.
He highlighted the extent of the damage inflicted on Yemen’s cultural heritage by the Saudi-Emirati aggression and its local agents, who have exploited the war to carry out plans aimed at destroying monuments, looting antiquities, and plundering the country’s natural resources.
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