A prominent educator was shot dead in Yemen’s interim capital, Aden, on Saturday after coming under fire from unidentified gunmen while on his way to work, in an incident that sparked widespread condemnation and calls for an urgent investigation.
According to eyewitnesses, armed assailants traveling in a Hilux vehicle opened fire on Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer, chairman of Al-Nawras Private Schools and a senior figure in the Islah Party, as he passed بالقرب of his school in the Kabota area of Al-Mansoura district. He was killed instantly before the attackers fled the scene.
Witnesses said the attack occurred as Al-Shaer was heading to attend an educational event related to a robotics and artificial intelligence competition. The gunmen intercepted his vehicle and fired multiple rounds, hitting him in the neck, chest, and other parts of his body. He was later transported to Al-Salam Hospital, where his death was confirmed.
In initial reactions, the Coordination of Civil and Human Rights Forces in Aden condemned the assassination, describing it as a “treacherous and cowardly crime,” and holding security authorities responsible for what it called “continued negligence” in confronting a wave of assassinations targeting civilian and educational figures.
The group called for an immediate and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of the crime, the swift arrest of the perpetrators, and their prosecution, warning that the continuation of such attacks could lead to a security catastrophe and further destabilize the city.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Nayef Al-Bakri mourned Al-Shaer, describing him as a “national and educational figure,” and said his killing represented a significant loss to society. He noted that Al-Shaer was killed while on his way to supervise a scientific activity for his students.
Al-Bakri added that the incident reflects a direct targeting of education and knowledge, urging security forces to act swiftly to track down those responsible and bring them to justice.
Khaled Haidan, a senior figure in the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) and head of its media department in Aden, said the incident signals what he described as a return of UAE-linked assassination operations in the city.
The killing comes amid political shifts in Aden and other southern Yemeni cities, following the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council and the departure of its president, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, from the public scene.
The incident marks a resurgence of assassination attacks that have previously targeted religious, educational, and security figures in Aden, as activists call for stronger security measures to curb lawlessness and restore stability.