Juban (Upper Yafa)

Juban became a dependency of Upper Yafa in 1833.^[1] In the 1900s, Juban sought a protectorate treaty with Britain, which was declined.^[3] In an agreement with the Ottoman Empire in 1914, Britain recognized Juban as Ottoman territory.^[3] Zaidi troops fighting for the Ottoman Empire occupied Juban in May 1916,^[4] but the sheikh retreated and remained in command of a group of fighters, resisting the Ottomans elsewhere. In February 1917, The Sheikh of Juban occupied an Ottoman village.^[5] By 31 March 1919, Juban was occupied by the Kingdom of Yemen.^[6]

Juban was a sheikhdom, having 3 different sheikhs as of 1909.^[7] 'Ali Abdul Karim was the chief sheikh at the time.^[8] He was described as a "fierce hater of the Turks".^[9] He sought to come under British protection as he feared for the extinction of Juban's independence.^[10]

For a long time, there was close commerce between Juban, Na'wah and Upper Yafa.^[11]

As of 1915, Juban had 4000 inhabitants, divided over 8 subsections.^[2]