Former Yemeni President Hadi Passes Away at 80 in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, May 28: Former Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi passed away on Thursday at the age of 80. His presidency was marked by Yemen’s prolonged civil war and fragile political transitions. This information was confirmed by Yemen’s state television and a close family source.

Yemen TV, broadcasting from Saudi Arabia, reported that Hadi died in Riyadh.

A family source confirmed to the Xinhua News Agency, “He passed away this morning in a hospital in Riyadh after experiencing sudden health issues in recent days.”

According to Xinhua, Hadi served as Yemen’s internationally recognized president during one of the country’s most tumultuous periods.

Born on September 1, 1945, in the southern province of Abyan, Hadi rose through military and political ranks, eventually becoming Vice President in October 1994.

He assumed the presidency in February 2012 as part of a Gulf-supported transition plan, which was initiated after long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh resigned amid nationwide protests during the so-called ‘Arab Spring.’

The Arab Spring was a wave of pro-democracy and anti-government protests, revolts, and armed uprisings that began in late 2010, challenging and toppling decades-old authoritarian regimes across the region.

Upon taking office, Mansour Hadi initiated significant reforms in Yemen’s military and security institutions, aiming to unify armed groups and reorganize the army and security forces.

However, Yemen’s political transition deteriorated as Houthi forces advanced southward, seizing key government institutions in Sana’a.

In January 2015, Hadi resigned after Houthi fighters besieged the presidential palace, placing him under house arrest in the capital.

The following month, he fled to the southern port city of Aden, retracted his resignation, and called for foreign intervention. On March 26, 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily against the Houthis at Hadi’s request, leading to a devastating conflict that has resulted in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

In April 2022, Hadi transferred his powers to an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council, aimed at uniting anti-Houthi factions and reviving efforts for a political resolution to the conflict.

Yemen has been divided for years between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government based in Aden, with the Houthis controlling Sana’a and most of northern Yemen.

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