Saudi Arabia urges separatists to withdraw from Yemen’s two provinces

Saudi Arabia on December 25 formally called on Emirati-backed separatists in Yemen to withdraw from the Hadramout and Mahra governorates, raising the risk of a confrontation within the fragile coalition fighting Houthi rebels.

In a statement released on the morning of December 25, the Saudi Foreign Ministry appeared to put public pressure on the Southern Transitional Council, a force long supported by the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has backed other Yemeni fighters, including the National Shield Forces, in the war against the Iranian-backed Houthis, which the kingdom launched in 2015, Caliber.Az reports, citing AP. 

The ministry said the separatists’ actions “resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of all segments of Yemeni people, as well as the southern cause and the coalition’s efforts.”

“The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilize security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences," it added. 

The Southern Transitional Council has moved into Hadramout and Mahra, prompting Saudi mediation efforts to have its forces return to “their previous positions outside of the two governorates and hand over the camps in those areas” to the National Shield Forces.

The ministry said, “These efforts remain in progress to restore the situation to its previous statement.”

The standoff has also strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which, despite close ties as OPEC members, have increasingly competed for influence and international business in the region.

By Sabina Mammadli