On the evening of the 14th of May, 2017, 21 year-old cultural and political activist, Amjad Abdulrahman Mohammed was gunned down in the capital of Yemen, Aden.

In-country sources reported that unidentified militants shot and killed Amjad after storming an internet cafe in the city of Sheikh Osman in the Aden area. The gunmen fled the scene following the brutal shootout that killed Amjad instantly, hitting his head and neck.

Amjad was an avid and active contributor in political an cultural activities in Yemen, running a cultural center of which he was the founder: Al Nasieh Cultural Club provided secular and women’s rights support.

Friends close to Amjad have inferred that his death is related to his role in political and cultural activity that was considered anti-religious by many, attracting the ire of local extremist groups who were potentially the authors of the killing.

Importantly, Women Press note that “[t]he port city of Aden is witnessing security chaos and the spread of militants in the streets due to the inability of the city’s security authorities to take full control of the situation, although nearly two years have passed since Aden was liberated from the Houthi militia and forces loyal to ousted president Saleh, which had taken it over in the first half of 2015.”