Shotlist Aden, Yemen - Jan 3, 2026 1. Sign of Aden International Airport 2. Various of buildings, signs of Yemen Airways 3. Various of closed office 4. Various of stranded passengers 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdulkarim Mohammed, stranded passenger: "I came here from outside Aden and planned to go to Egypt for medical treatment. There are really a lot of people like me who are affected. Due to the airport closure, I have been staying in hotel for three days, incurring significant losses - not only in accommodation costs but also in various daily living expenses." 6. Various of buildings, signs of Yemen Airways 7. Planes on tarmac 8. Various of shuttle bus stopping at terminal, heading for plane 9. Planes on tarmac 10. Control tower, flag on terminal 11. Various of port view Storyline The ongoing closure of Yemen's Aden International Airport has raised concerns that the country's humanitarian predicament may further worsen. The airport is a primary aviation gateway for people in southern Yemen to travel for medical care, education and labor services. However, almost all commercial flights have been suspended since the tensions escalated earlier this month between the Yemeni government forces and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a major party to the Yemeni Civil War, with only a few flights operating between Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The airport closure has left hundreds of passengers trapped in the waiting hall and unable to depart. "I came here from outside Aden and planned to go to Egypt for medical treatment. There are really a lot of people like me who are affected. Due to the airport closure, I have been staying in hotel for three days, incurring significant losses - not only in accommodation costs but also in various daily living expenses," said Abdulkarim Mohammed, a stranded passenger. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-sponsored STC have each blamed the other for the airport closure. Saudi Arabia has recently ordered all international flights departing and entering Yemen to undergo security screenings at Jeddah Airport before continuing to their final destinations. While some of those restrictions were later eased, they remain in place for all flights traveling to and from the UAE. Officials loyal to the STC refused to comply with the new protocols ordered by Yemen's central government, and partially halted operations in Aden International Airport, said a source within the Yemeni government. The Yemeni government said that the control on some international routes was ordered in accordance with the previously declared state of emergency, and at the same time accused the STC of suspending all flights at the airport. However, the STC-controlled Ministry of Transport said that Saudi Arabia imposed flight restrictions without providing prior clear communication and explanation, which eventually led to the closure of the airport. Analysts say that the shutdown of Aden International Airport forces tens of thousands of people seeking medical assistance, educational opportunities and economic activities to suspend their plans, which will further deteriorate the already fragile livelihood situation in Yemen. Tensions between the factions escalated after the STC seized large swathes of the oil-rich Hadramout province and the eastern province of Al-Mahrah last month. Riyadh considers these areas a "red line" due to their proximity to the Saudi border and their concentration of Yemen's remaining energy reserves. Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and large swathes of the north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015. Formed in 2017, the UAE-sponsored STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]