Hassan Mana’a was fired from his position as Sa’adah Governor on Saturday, February 6th, by a Republican Decree appointing Taha Abdulla Hajer instead.

There has been no official reason for the new replacement of the Sa’adah governor so far. Security forces arrested Fares Mana’a, the brother of the dismissed governor and the top arms dealer in Yemen, in late January over allegations of providing al-Houthi rebels in Sa’adah governorate with weapons.

Mana’a had defended his brother in an interview with al-Sharq al-Awsat, stating his brother’s business abided by the laws regulating the arms trade.

Hajer, the new Sa’adah governor, had assumed similar positions in Amran and Hadramout governorates.