Yemen government appoints new governors for al-Bayda and al-Jawf

SANAA — Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council issued two decrees on Sunday, 1 November 2026, appointing new governors for al-Bayda in central Yemen and al-Jawf in the north, according to Anadolu Agency. Both provinces are partly controlled by the Houthis.

According to the government-run Saba news agency, as cited by Anadolu Agency, Major General Hussein al-Ajji Ali al-Awadhi was appointed governor of al-Bayda. Major General Amin Ali al-Akimi was named governor of al-Jawf and commander of its military axis.

Al-Awadhi replaces Nasser al-Sawadi, the former governor of al-Bayda. Al-Akimi takes over al-Jawf from al-Awadhi, who had served as the province's governor, Anadolu Agency reported.

The appointments come as both provinces face a complex military situation. Government forces and the Houthi group are continuing to clash over control of strategic positions, Anadolu Agency said.

Military situation in the two provinces

The Houthis control most areas of al-Bayda, according to the report. Control of al-Jawf is divided between the Houthis and government forces.

Anadolu Agency reported that clashes continue in both provinces. The report did not give casualty figures for the recent fighting in either province.

Why it matters

The two provinces are of military and geographic significance. Al-Bayda sits in central Yemen and borders eight other provinces, four in the north and four in the south, the agency said. Al-Jawf shares a land border with Saudi Arabia. It lies near the Houthi-controlled provinces of Saada, Amran and Sanaa, and it also borders Marib and Hadhramaut, which are under government control.

Control of these provinces shapes access to the north-south routes and the border area, the report indicated. The appointments place new officials in charge of local administration in both areas while the fighting continues.

Background

Yemen has been at war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government, according to the report.

The fighting ended a period of relative calm that had lasted since April 2022, Anadolu Agency said. Military escalation between government forces and the Houthis resumed in July 2026. According to UN reports cited by the agency, the fighting has killed and wounded thousands of people and displaced more than 250,000.

Since 5 October 2026, government forces have carried out Operation "Dawn of Yemen". The stated aim is to restore state institutions from Houthi control and retake the capital, Sanaa, the agency reported. The humanitarian crisis has worsened amid continued fighting and displacement, the report said.

What happens next

The source does not say when the new governors will take up their posts or whether the Houthis have responded to the appointments. It also does not report any further scheduled decisions or talks. Further developments in the clashes over al-Bayda and al-Jawf have not been reported in this material.