Daijiworld Media Network - Aden
Aden, Jan 6: Yemen’s Saudi-backed government on Sunday accused UAE-backed southern separatists of cutting off access to the port city of Aden and warned it would take “all necessary measures” after regaining territory from them in the east a day earlier.
In a statement issued by the presidential office and carried by official media, the government alleged that the Southern Transitional Council (STC) had imposed restrictions on the movement of citizens into Aden and launched a campaign of arrests in the city. The separatists, however, denied the accusations, calling them a distortion of facts and insisting that the situation in Aden remained stable.
The renewed exchange of allegations highlights continuing hostility between the two sides despite recent proposals for dialogue that had raised hopes of a negotiated settlement. Clashes between government forces and the STC since early last month have deepened divisions within the Gulf-backed coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
A senior government official told Reuters that forces would continue advancing towards Aden, adding that any dialogue would begin only after the city was secured. Aden has served as the main seat of power for the internationally recognised government outside Houthi-held areas since 2015, but government leaders left the city for Saudi Arabia last month after the STC seized control.
On Saturday, government forces said they had retaken the eastern province of Hadramout, including the city of Mukalla, with support from Saudi airstrikes. Residents around Aden reported that STC fighters had meanwhile set up checkpoints in surrounding areas.
Tensions also affected air travel, with Aden airport closing on Thursday following a dispute between the government and the STC over flights to the UAE. While both sides blamed each other for the shutdown, at least one flight resumed operations on Sunday, according to travellers and airport officials. The US embassy said it had received reports of flight disruptions and diversions to the Yemeni island of Socotra.
The internationally recognised government said it had asked Saudi Arabia to host a forum to resolve the southern issue. Riyadh agreed and invited various southern factions, a move welcomed by the STC, signalling a possible opening for negotiations after weeks of fighting triggered by the separatists’ sudden territorial gains early last month.