Millions Gather in Sana’a to Bid Farewell to PM al-Rahwi and Fallen Ministers
Mass funeral honors leaders killed in Israeli strike as Yemen vows continued resistance
Yemen, PUREWILAYAH.COM - In a solemn display of unity and defiance, millions of Yemenis converged on Sana’a’s Al-Sabeen Square on Monday morning to participate in the official and public funeral for Prime Minister Ahmad Ghalib al-Rahwi and a group of senior ministers and officials killed in last week’s Israeli airstrike on the Yemeni capital.
The funeral procession began with prayers at Al-Shaab Mosque, broadcast live by Al Masirah TV, and featured remarks by Yemen’s Grand Mufti, Sayyed Shams al-Din Sharaf al-Din.
Crowds from across the country began arriving in the early hours, joined by symbolic contingents from the Military Academy, the Air Force and Naval College, and units from the Central Security and Rescue Forces.
A National Farewell to Leaders of Diverse Backgrounds
The list of martyrs honored at the funeral reflected Yemen’s diverse political and regional spectrum.
In addition to Prime Minister al-Rahwi, the mourners paid tribute to Justice Minister Judge Mujahid Ahmed Abdullah, Economy Minister Moein H. al-Mahakri, Agriculture Minister Dr. Radwan al-Rubaie, Foreign Minister Jamal Amer, Electricity Minister Dr. Ali Saif Hassan, Culture Minister Dr. Ali al-Yafie, Social Affairs Minister Samir Ba Jaalah, Information Minister Hashem Sharaf al-Din, Youth and Sports Minister Dr. Muhammad al-Mawlid, Prime Minister’s Office Director Muhammad Qasim al-Kabsi, and Cabinet Secretary Zahed al-Amidi.
Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour described the fallen leaders as representing “the complete spectrum of Yemen,” stressing that their sacrifice sends “a powerful message to all Yemenis, particularly in the southern provinces, that honor, dignity, and national stance emanate from Sana’a, not Abu Dhabi or Riyadh.”
Defiance and Immediate Retaliation
Mansour affirmed that the deaths reinforce Yemen’s commitment to defending Palestine and confronting what he called the “US-Israeli project” in the region.
He revealed that President Mahdi al-Mashat had vowed that “our revenge will not sleep,” noting that the Yemeni Armed Forces had already retaliated by targeting an Israeli vessel in the northern Red Sea, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense.
He added that for nearly two years, Yemen has made “sacred sacrifices” for the Palestinian cause, sending martyrs from provinces including Raymah, Saada, Abyan, and Hadramawt.
“This geography unified in blood,” he said, “is the strongest answer to all attempts at sowing division and the truest expression of our shared identity and common enemy.”
Mansour concluded that the final message of al-Rahwi and his companions — leaders slain while serving the people under blockade and aggression — is a call for all free Yemenis to join the national liberation movement led from Sana’a. (PW)
Source: Al-Masirah