Yemen’s Southern Separatists Accuse Saudi Arabia of Airstrikes in Hadramout Amid Rising Tensions
Southern Transitional Council claims Saudi air operations targeted its positions in eastern Yemen as Riyadh urges de-escalation and withdrawal
Southern Yemeni separatists have accused Saudi Arabia of conducting air operations against their forces in the eastern governorate of Hadramout, escalating tensions within the already complex civil war as Riyadh presses the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council to withdraw from territory it recently seized.
The Southern Transitional Council, which has advanced its control over large parts of southern and eastern Yemen including Hadramout and al-Mahra, said Saudi air strikes occurred after clashes in the Wadi Nahb area, following ambushes that killed two of its fighters and wounded a dozen more.
The separatist group claimed the operations were intended as a warning to abandon its positions, though the Kingdom has not formally confirmed carrying out air strikes.
Saudi Arabia had earlier urged the Southern Transitional Council to de-escalate and pull back from areas captured in December, positioning its call as an effort to preserve unity within the internationally recognised government’s coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that dominates northern Yemen.
The warning and alleged air operations reflect deepening fissures between Riyadh and the UAE-backed separatists, who once formed part of the Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis but now pursue broader autonomy and control over the south.
While the United Arab Emirates has expressed support for Saudi efforts to stabilise Yemen, the Southern Transitional Council has rejected calls for withdrawal, maintaining its presence is necessary to counter security threats and cut off supply routes to Houthi forces.
The disputed strikes in Hadramout underscore fears that Yemen’s conflict, already prolonged and multifaceted, could see fresh internal confrontations between supposed allies, complicating efforts to unify anti-Houthi forces and advance peace initiatives.
Control of Hadramout is strategically significant, encompassing vital oil resources and transportation routes that influence both local power dynamics and regional economics, and further contestation could have broader implications for stability across Yemen and the wider Red Sea region.
The Southern Transitional Council, which has advanced its control over large parts of southern and eastern Yemen including Hadramout and al-Mahra, said Saudi air strikes occurred after clashes in the Wadi Nahb area, following ambushes that killed two of its fighters and wounded a dozen more.
The separatist group claimed the operations were intended as a warning to abandon its positions, though the Kingdom has not formally confirmed carrying out air strikes.
Saudi Arabia had earlier urged the Southern Transitional Council to de-escalate and pull back from areas captured in December, positioning its call as an effort to preserve unity within the internationally recognised government’s coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that dominates northern Yemen.
The warning and alleged air operations reflect deepening fissures between Riyadh and the UAE-backed separatists, who once formed part of the Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis but now pursue broader autonomy and control over the south.
While the United Arab Emirates has expressed support for Saudi efforts to stabilise Yemen, the Southern Transitional Council has rejected calls for withdrawal, maintaining its presence is necessary to counter security threats and cut off supply routes to Houthi forces.
The disputed strikes in Hadramout underscore fears that Yemen’s conflict, already prolonged and multifaceted, could see fresh internal confrontations between supposed allies, complicating efforts to unify anti-Houthi forces and advance peace initiatives.
Control of Hadramout is strategically significant, encompassing vital oil resources and transportation routes that influence both local power dynamics and regional economics, and further contestation could have broader implications for stability across Yemen and the wider Red Sea region.
