More Saudi airstrikes hit separatist positions in Yemeni port city
ADEN, Yemen — Southern separatists in Yemen have reported that Saudi warplanes conducted fresh airstrikes on Saturday on a military camp in the port city of Mukalla and other areas where their forces are positioned, as Saudi-backed forces advanced to retake the city.
There has been no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia. This marks the most recent direct involvement by Saudi Arabia, which has recently targeted the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) and intercepted a shipment of Emirati weapons intended for them.
The Saudi airstrikes hit the Barshid Brigade camp in Hadramout, west of Mukalla, one of the two governorates seized by the STC last month, according to the group’s AIC satellite news channel.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war for over a decade, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels controlling a significant portion of the north and a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government in the south. However, the United Arab Emirates, a member of the coalition, also supports the separatists advocating for South Yemen to break away from the rest of the country.
The recent Saudi airstrikes followed the announcement by the separatist movement of a constitution for an independent nation in the south.
Last month, the STC advanced into Hadramout and Mahra, seizing an oil-rich region and displacing allies of the National Shield forces supported by Saudi Arabia in the anti-Houthi coalition.
Following Saudi pressure and an ultimatum from anti-Houthi forces to withdraw from Yemen, the UAE announced on Saturday that it had withdrawn all its forces.
The escalating tensions in Yemen have exacerbated relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, neighboring countries on the Arabian Peninsula that have been at odds over economic and regional issues, particularly in the Red Sea region. Despite their shared goal of reinstating Yemen’s internationally recognized government, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have diverged in their approaches.
An STC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that over 100 Saudi airstrikes targeted various locations in Hadramout in the past 24 hours, resulting in casualties. Mukalla residents have reported that the city is now under the control of the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy and the National Shield forces.
Colonel Ahmed Baqatyan, a military commander in the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy, emphasized the necessity of striking the Barshid Brigade camp to secure the route to Aden. He stated that clearing the camp of STC forces was crucial to prevent their regrouping and potential return to Mukalla.
Furthermore, Yemen’s Transportation Ministry, aligned with the STC, condemned the Saudi airstrikes targeting the international airport in Seiyun, raising concerns about potential damage to the airport’s infrastructure and operations.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry announced plans to convene a conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions in Yemen for discussions on resolving the southern conflict, in response to a request for dialogue from Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council.
The anti-Houthi coalition has shown signs of internal discord, with clashes erupting between National Shield forces and southern factions in Hadramout and their allies, resulting in casualties.
Political science professor Hilal Khashan highlighted the diverging interests of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen, leading to recent tensions and military actions. The situation escalated as the UAE-backed STC advanced into areas bordering Saudi Arabia, prompting Saudi intervention to counter the perceived threat.
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This article was reported from Cairo by Khaled. Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.
