On 10 November 2016, Mohammed Abdullah Abdo Ghilan was walking along the coastal road in Aden on an ordinary day, unaware that it would be the last day his family would see him. A pickup truck (Toyota “Chassis”) stopped, and masked men got out. They forcibly detained him, took him into their vehicle, and seized his personal car. There was no arrest warrant, no legal procedure, and no explanation for what happened.

The family reports that those who abducted him were masked, arrived in a pickup, and forcibly took him along with his car. According to testimony received by the family, the group was linked to Yusran Hamza Al-Maqtari from the Counter-Terrorism Unit 9, with the participation of Shallal Shai’ Hadi.

The family first learned about the incident through eyewitnesses they did not know personally. According to these witnesses, they saw Mohammed being taken into the truck along with his car and later informed Mohammed’s sister of the event, which is how the family learned the truth.

The family immediately began searching for him, contacting relevant authorities and knocking on every possible door. They reportedly approached Shallal Shai’ asking about Mohammed’s fate. The family says Shallal admitted Mohammed was in their custody and stated: “We will keep him for a while and then release him.” Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, yet the promise was never fulfilled.

A family member bitterly recalled: “They took him from the coastal road… along with his car… may God never forgive them.” Since that day, the family has not seen Mohammed, heard from him, or known his whereabouts or even whether he is alive.

The family describes Mohammed as a respectful, devout man who prayed, fasted, read the Qur’an, and lived a peaceful, simple life. He had no political or security activity that could justify his detention or disappearance.

The pain extended to his father, who asked about his son daily, carrying grief and anxiety, waiting for news. The father passed away from heartbreak without knowing his son’s fate, leaving the family with unanswered questions. Mohammed remains missing, his location unknown.

Mohammed’s case is a clear example of enforced disappearance: he was detained outside any legal framework, without a court order or formal charge, and his family has been denied the right to know his whereabouts, visit him, or even confirm if he is alive. The family has been unable to exercise their fundamental right to information or communication, and no official details regarding his legal status or potential charges have been provided.

From 2016 to the present, the fate of Mohammed Abdullah Abdo Ghilan remains unknown. His family continues to demand that his whereabouts be revealed, that he be released if detained, or that they be informed of what has happened to him. Mohammed’s case is not isolated, but one of dozens of documented enforced disappearances in Yemen that require an independent investigation and genuine accountability for those responsible for these grave human rights violations.