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 addressed the escalating threats facing these cultural sites, particularly in Aden, including looting, vandalism, and deliberate attempts to erase the region’s civilizational and religious identity. The minister emphasized that such efforts will ultimately fail thanks to the vigilance of the free people in those provinces.

Dr. Al-Yafei stated that citizens in occupied areas, especially Aden, are now more aware than ever that the occupiers have brought suffering and destruction, while attempting to impose a foreign culture incompatible with Yemeni values, principles, and religious identity.

He highlighted the systematic targeting and looting of heritage sites as clear evidence of the occupiers’ true agenda—far removed from the false promises and deceptive narratives they have propagated over the past decade. “The only truth,” he stressed, “is that the occupiers are not here for Yemen’s benefit, but for their 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 enforce. 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 Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s efforts in protecting historical and archaeological sites, supporting the cultural and tourism sectors, and promoting the role of intellectuals and creatives across disciplines.

He highlighted the extensive damage inflicted on Yemen’s cultural heritage by the Saudi-Emirati aggression and its local agents, who have exploited the war to destroy monuments, loot antiquities, and plunder the country’s natural resources.