TROUBLE NEAR ADEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 313, 4 December 1936, Page 8

TROUBLE NEAR ADEN.

DEATH OF NATIVE RULER, During the recent tension between Britain and Italy over the question of sanctions, several Air Force units were sent to strategic points in the Near East. , All except two of the units have now returned to Britain. One of these is stationed at Aden, where there is a large aerodrome, and owing to the disturbed condition of the nearby district of Yemen, its return seems unlikely. It is feared that the death of the Imam Yaliya, who had ruled Yemen for 32 years, will he followed b” civil war. The Imam’s eldest son, Ahmad, lias the support of the army. He criticised his father’s administration as neglecting the forces, and blamed tins neglect tor tlieir defeat by the AA aliahis in 1934. Ahmad’s brother, Ismail, has been trving to win the support of the Hash id and Brazil tribes, who are the best warriors in Yemen. He and two younger brothers were recently arrested by Ahmad’s orders and at present are lield captives. A further cause of unrest lies in the fact that Seyyid Abdullah, Governor of the Tihama coastal belt, which is inhabited by Moslems, not of the Zeidi persuasion of which the Imam is head, is on bad terms with Ahmad. Abdullah controls tbe ports of Yemen. Italy is reputed to he interested in Yemen, which trades with Eritrea. Britain’s possession of Aden gives her a deep interest in possible disturbances which might lead to trouble in the Aden hinterland.