Saudi extends invitation to Yemen’s southern factions for ‘dialogue’ in Riyadh following unexpected independence initiative
The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia has extended an invitation for Yemen’s southern factions to participate in a “dialogue” session in Riyadh, following an unexpected bid for independence and the United Arab Emirates announcing its complete troop withdrawal from Yemen. In a statement released on Saturday, the Saudi ministry called for “a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to unite all southern factions to deliberate on equitable solutions for the southern matter.” Riyadh indicated that the Yemeni government had made the call for discussions. Yemen’s separatist movement declared on Friday a constitution for a sovereign nation in the south and urged other groups in the war-ravaged country to accept this proposal. The UAE-supported Southern Transitional Council interpreted this announcement as a formal declaration of independence for the south. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether this action can be effectively executed or if it is mainly symbolic. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have long offered support to various factions within Yemen’s government-controlled territories, intervening in the protracted civil conflict in the neighboring nation. Meanwhile, the UAE confirmed that all its troops had been withdrawn from Yemen. This decision followed several airlifts conducted by UAE military aircraft under directives to disengage from anti-Houthi operations in Yemen. This move came after Saudi Arabia resisted the progress of Emirati-backed separatists in that region. The announcements occurred as the Saudi-endorsed and internationally recognized government sought to regain control of the vital Hadramout region from the STC. The STC had taken control of substantial portions of Hadramout, which is adjacent to Saudi Arabia, along with neighboring al-Mahra last month. Earlier on Friday, Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout under the internationally recognized government, stated he had initiated a “peaceful” effort to restore control over the territory. Saudi airstrikes targeted an airport in Hadramout, according to a tribal spokesperson from the province, while the governor mentioned that his forces had assumed command of the most significant military base in the area. “This operation is neither a declaration of war nor an endeavor to heighten tensions,” Khanbashi was cited as saying by the Saba Net news agency. “This undertaking does not aim at any political or social faction,” he added, emphasizing that it “is focused on the peaceful and systematic transfer of military locations.” Mohammed Abdulmalik, the leader of the STC in Wadi Hadramaot and the Hadramaot desert, reported that seven airstrikes targeted al-Khasah camp, resulting in seven fatalities and injuring over 20 individuals. Additional strikes also hit other locations within the same area, he noted. Saudi sources confirmed that the attacks were executed by the Saudi-led coalition, which nominally includes the UAE and was established in 2015 to combat the Iran-affiliated Houthi rebels in northern Yemen. A military insider linked to Saudi Arabia remarked: “It will not cease until the Southern Transitional Council retreats from the two governorates.” The rich Gulf nations formed the foundation of the military coalition aimed at dislodging the Houthis, who ousted the government from the capital, Sana’a, in 2014 and captured Yemen’s most densely populated regions. However, after a decade-long civil war, the Houthis still remain entrenched, and Saudi and Emirati forces are backing different factions within the government-held areas. Amr al-Bidh, the foreign affairs representative for the STC, criticized Riyadh for “deliberately misinforming the international community by labeling a ‘peaceful operation’ they had no intent to uphold.” “Evidence of this was the launch of seven airstrikes just minutes afterward,” he posted on X. Saudi Arabia has continuously urged the STC to vacate the areas that were recently taken. On Friday, Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jabir, stated that the STC had obstructed a Saudi delegation from landing at Aden airport, accusing the group of “stubbornness.” On Thursday, Yemen’s transport ministry, which is controlled by the STC, condemned a Saudi request that all aircraft traveling to and from the UAE make a stop in Saudi Arabia for security assessments. As reported by Flightradar24, no flights had taken off or landed at Aden airport for over 24 hours, although the ministry did not officially declare its closure. With Agence France-Presse and Associated Press
Published: 2026-01-03 02:11:00
source: www.theguardian.com
