From 1970 to 1986, the palace was a presidential reception building in the
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, then in 1986,
Ali Salem al-Beidh,
Secretary-General of the
Yemeni Socialist Party and
president of South Yemen, decided to use it as a presidential palace. After the
unification of the country, the palace became the presidential palace. It became the residence of President
Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi after he left for Aden as part of the
Yemeni civil war. In April 2015, as part of the
Battle of Aden, the
Houthis occupied the palace, and eventually withdrew from it with the start of
Operation Decisive Storm. In October 2015, the palace was renovated, after suffering damage in the fighting. In March 2021, protesters stormed the palace, driven by widespread public anger over inadequate services, poor living conditions, and the devaluation of Yemen’s currency. Reports indicated that the protest was sparked by the government’s failure to pay the salaries of retired soldiers. The protesters, reportedly members of the national guard who had not been paid for nine months, were peacefully dispersed shortly afterward, according to media accounts. On 19 February 2026, protesters linked to the
Southern Transitional Council attempted to storm the palace's gate, leaving one person dead and 11 others injured after security forces opened fire. ==References==