Taiz Ablaze After the Assassination of Iftihan Al-Mashhari: The Fall of the First Suspect and a Continuing Pursuit of (Al-Bashaq) [The Falcon].

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Taiz is ablaze after the assassination of Iftihan Al-Mashhari: The fall of the first suspect and a continuous pursuit of (Al-Basheq) The city of Taiz is witnessing rapid developments in the case of the assassination of the Director of the Cleaning and Improvement Fund, Iftihan Al-Mashhari, whose assassination sparked widespread anger inside and outside Yemen. Security services announced this evening the arrest of one of the main suspects, while the security campaign continues to pursue the rest of those wanted, led by the first suspect, Muhammad Sadiq Al-Mikhlafi, nicknamed "Al-Basheq." Security sources reported that the campaign, which was carried out under the supervision of the First Deputy Governor, Abdul Qawi Al-Mikhlafi, and the Director General of Taiz Police, Mansour Al-Akhali, managed to arrest Jassar Ahmed Qassem Al-Mikhlafi, one of the main perpetrators in the case. The police confirmed that the pursuit will continue until all suspects are arrested and brought to justice. The Governorate's Security Committee held an emergency meeting, during which it issued directives to circulate the photos of those wanted at all security points and ports, and to begin storming homes suspected of harboring the accused, noting that the issue represents a "top priority" and cannot be tolerated. In contrast, massive popular protests have escalated, and cleaning fund workers have organized a comprehensive strike, while women organized a vigil in front of the security administration to demand an urgent trial of the killers, holding local authorities responsible for the continued security chaos that threatens the lives of civilians, especially those working in the public sector. On the official level, Prime Minister Dr. Salem Saleh bin Brik issued urgent directives to the local authority leadership and security services to intensify efforts to arrest those involved and bring them to justice. At the same time, popular demands are increasing to remove the Islah Party militias from the city of Taiz, led by militia leader Salem Al-Dust, in addition to the dismissal of the governor, deputies, Director General of Police Mansour Al-Akhali, and axis commander Khaled Fadel, as they are considered politically and security responsible for the deteriorating situation. In a remarkable development, activists circulated an audio recording showing that the martyr Iftihan had been subjected to pressure and threats from local leaders linked to the Islah Party militias in Taiz, led by Jassar Al-Mikhlafi, who occupied the Fund's building before it was forcibly recovered, which reinforces the hypothesis that the crime is behind networks of intertwined partisan and security influence. Human rights and civil organizations confirm that the assassination of Iftihan Al-Mashhari, as the first woman to be targeted for her civil work in Taiz, constitutes a dangerous warning bell for the future of women's public activity in Yemen, and represents a political crime par excellence aimed at undermining the idea of a civil state in favor of the forces of arms and chaos. Eyes remain focused on the course of the investigations and what the security campaign will result in, at a time when the scope of popular anger is widening amid sharp questions about the authorities' ability to break the influence of the partisan militias that popular and human rights circles accuse of providing cover for the perpetrators of crimes in the governorate.