Riyadh/Aden, Dec. 27 (UNI) Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud on Saturday warned the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to withdraw from military camps in two Yemeni governorates and hand them over to local authorities, a day after Saudi warplanes conducted warning airstrikes on STC‑affiliated military sites.
It was time for the STC, at this sensitive stage, to prioritize reason, wisdom, the public interest and unity by responding to Saudi-Emirati mediation efforts, ending the escalation, withdrawing from military camps in the two governorates and handing them over peacefully to the National Shield Forces and the local authorities, the Saudi minister wrote on X.
Also on Saturday, spokesperson of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen Turki Al Maliki said any military movements that undermine de-escalation efforts would be dealt with to protect civilians, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He added that the airstrikes, which were carried out at the request of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi, aimed at ensuring the withdrawal of STC forces, handing over military camps to the National Shield Forces, a Saudi-backed Yemeni force, and enabling local authorities to carry out their duties.
Tensions in Yemen escalated on Dec. 3 when STC forces took control of Hadramout following clashes with pro-government units. The STC later expanded its presence into the eastern province of Al-Mahrah without reported resistance and has since recruited local forces in both provinces, despite repeated calls by the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia for de-escalation.
Following the latest STC military expansion, Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on Friday targeting STC sites, including several belonging to the Hadrami Elite Forces in the Ghayl bin Yamin area near key oil fields. No casualties or damage to military equipment were reported.
PLC Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi on Saturday welcomed the Saudi-led coalition’s measures to curb what he described as destabilizing actions by the STC in the two governorates.
In a statement on social media platform X, Al-Alimi praised the coalition’s swift response to his request for immediate measures to protect civilians and restore security, saying the actions were taken in line with recommendations of Yemen’s National Defense Council.
The STC has not issued an official response to the latest statements from the PLC chairman, the Saudi defense minister, or the Saudi-led coalition. However, the Aden-based pro-secession group said on Friday that it remains open to coordination or arrangements that safeguard what it described as shared interests with Saudi Arabia and the aspirations of southern Yemen’s population.
The STC added that its recent military deployments in eastern Yemen were aimed at countering security threats from militant groups and expressed surprise over the Saudi airstrikes targeting its Hadrami Elite Forces. It warned that such actions would neither advance dialogue nor deter southerners from pursuing what it described as their legitimate rights.
