Saudi Arabia Invites Southern Groups in Yemen for Dialogue in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia Invites Southern Groups in Yemen for Dialogue in Riyadh

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia has urged southern groups in Yemen to participate in a "dialogue" in Riyadh following a dramatic turn of events in the south that has brought Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates into an unprecedented direct confrontation. Both Gulf powers have intervened in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government in the country’s long civil war, but the fracturing of their alliance has led to the backing of rival groups on the ground. One of these groups is now seeking to declare the independence of a separate state in southern Yemen.

On Friday, UAE-backed forces declared that a "war" has begun, accusing Saudi-backed ground forces of launching an attack, alongside airstrikes from Saudi air forces. The Saudi ministry called for "a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern groups to discuss fair solutions for the southern cause." It stated that the Yemeni government has issued the invitation for talks.

The civil war in Yemen erupted in 2014 and has transformed the already impoverished country into a violent humanitarian crisis, one of the worst in the world. Since the conflict began, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement has taken control of most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015 when a coalition of Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, launched a military campaign to restore the government.

Infighting escalated on December 2, when the Southern Transitional Council (STC) - seeking an independent state in the south - launched a large-scale military offensive in the east of the country, rapidly taking control of territories from government forces. The STC stated that the offensive was necessary to "restore stability" in the south, but it was denounced as a "rebellion" by the presidential leadership council's head, Rashad al-Alimi.

More than 19 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen, with the ongoing conflict continuing to deepen the already existing humanitarian crisis.