Journalist Mohammed Ayda, a correspondent for Al Arabiya and Al Hadath in Yemen , was killed on Wednesday evening when an explosive device detonated in his car in the city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut province.
Local sources told The New Arab that the bomb went off as Ayda was driving along the city’s coastal al-Seen Street, inflicting severe wounds. Photos from the scene showed his vehicle charred by the blast.
Ayda was immediately transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment, but he died shortly after arrival due to his injuries.
Ayda was a prominent correspondent with years of experience reporting from Yemen on politics, security issues and the country’s economic turmoil, having worked for the Saudi-owned channels since 2019.
A colleague, Radfan al-Dubais, said Mukalla’s security administration had informed Ayda of threats to his life about a month before the attack, urging him to take the warnings seriously and exercise caution.
In late 2018, Ayda was pursued by gunmen in Sanaa after they raided his home and looted his property, prompting him to leave the city and move to Aden. He leaves behind four children.
No party or group has so far claimed responsibility for the apparent assassination.
Yemen has witnessed repeated incidents targeting journalists in recent years, with rights groups warning that media workers face mounting risks while carrying out their work.
The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate condemned Ayda’s killing in a statement, calling on authorities to open an "urgent and transparent investigation" and to ensure "those involved are held accountable without exception". Describing the incident as "shocking and horrific", the syndicate warned that continued impunity enables repeated attacks on journalists and further erodes Yemen’s media environment.
Condemnation also came from Yemen’s political leadership. The chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, ordered the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the circumstances of Ayda’s assassination, including representatives from the Interior Ministry, the State Security Service and Military Intelligence.
Prime Minister Shaye al-Zindani said he had contacted the interior minister to review the security measures taken and pledged to mobilise all available resources to support the investigation.
The Southern Transitional Council, meanwhile, said the incident reflects the return of terrorist threats to the Hadhramaut coast after years of relative stability.