Separatists Refuse to Withdraw from Resource-Rich Provinces in Yemen

Tensions Rise in Yemen

Tensions in Yemen are escalating as Rashad al-Alimi, the leader of the internationally recognized Presidential Council, has warned against unilateral military actions by southern separatists. Al-Alimi emphasized that the further advance of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) into the resource-rich provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra will have serious consequences.

This warning follows a surprise offensive in December, where STC forces took control of these strategic provinces. Riyadh has accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the STC, warning that the presence of the STC in Yemeni provinces near the Saudi border poses a threat to its security. The UAE has denied these allegations, asserting that it supports Saudi Arabia's security.

STC's Refusal to Cooperate

Meanwhile, the STC has rejected al-Alimi's authority, insisting that its fighters will remain in the provinces from which Saudi Arabia and the official Yemeni government wish to withdraw them. On Wednesday evening, the group announced a new agreement to deploy additional separatist forces in areas it has seized in Hadramout, thereby bolstering its presence.

Neither the Yemeni government nor Saudi Arabia has issued an official response to this announcement. Mohammed al-Naqeeb, the STC spokesman, stated in a video posted on social media that the group's units will continue to operate in the occupied areas, adding that they will coordinate with the government-affiliated “Homeland Shield” forces and the Saudi-led coalition.

Calls for Withdrawal

The governor of Hadramout, Salem al-Khanbashi, remarked that the STC's response to official withdrawal requests has been limited. Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, he urged the separatists to withdraw their forces from Hadramout and return to their original positions to avoid bloodshed. He warned that continued defiance risks turning the province into a zone of violence.

On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition announced airstrikes targeting weapons and military vehicles after they arrived in the port of Mukalla on two ships from Fujairah. Mukalla is under the control of the STC. Saudi Arabia has declared that national security is a “red line” and accused the United Arab Emirates of sending military equipment to the STC as their troops gain territory in Hadramout and al-Mahra.

Abu Dhabi has rejected the accusation. The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the claims as “allegations,” but subsequently announced the completion of its remaining “counterterrorism” missions in Yemen. The STC, which aims to detach southern Yemen, has launched its latest military actions since early December and has ignored repeated calls from local and regional authorities to withdraw. The European Union warned on Wednesday that events in Hadramout and al-Mahra risk generating new instabilities in the Arabian Gulf.