Saudi Arabia has publicly urged UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council forces to withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra and return camps to the National Shield Forces, saying the separatists’ actions risk destabilizing the anti-Houthi coalition. Riyadh says mediation is under way and called on all Yemeni factions to exercise restraint. The move strains Saudi-UAE ties and comes amid a broader humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, where fighting has killed tens of thousands and disrupted Red Sea shipping. The conflict remains internationalized, with recent U.S. strikes and Houthi attacks drawing wider attention.
Saudi Arabia Urges UAE-Backed Separatists To Withdraw From Hadramout And Mahra, Warning Of Coalition Rift
This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)
Saudi Arabia on Thursday publicly urged Emirati-backed separatist forces in Yemen to withdraw from the governorates of Hadramout and Mahra, warning that their presence risks destabilizing the fragile anti-Houthi coalition. The call, issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Christmas morning, appears aimed at pressuring the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a southern separatist movement long supported by the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Mediation Efforts
Riyadh said mediation is underway to secure the Council’s pullback and to return control of camps in those areas to the National Shield Forces, units backed by Saudi Arabia. The ministry urged all Yemeni factions to exercise restraint and cooperate to avoid further escalation that could harm the broader interests of the Yemeni people and undermine coalition efforts.
Local And Regional Implications
The STC’s recent advances into Hadramout and Mahra have coincided with increased displays of South Yemen symbols and calls for renewed secession. Aden — the main power base for anti-Houthi forces — had planned demonstrations in support of southern political groups, though it was unclear whether those protests would proceed after Saudi Arabia’s statement.
The dispute has added strain to ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, longtime partners that have recently competed more openly for regional influence and investment. The moves by the STC also mirror broader Red Sea-era tensions: violence in Sudan and rival Saudi-UAE support for opposing parties in that conflict have heightened regional friction.
Humanitarian Toll And International Dimensions
Yemen remains devastated after years of war. The Houthi movement seized Sanaa in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in 2015, and the conflict has since produced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Analysts estimate the war has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths — combatants and civilians — and widespread famine and disease.
The Houthis have also attacked hundreds of commercial vessels in the Red Sea amid the wider Israel-Hamas war, disrupting shipping and prompting many operators to reroute around Africa. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have conducted strikes against Houthi targets in recent years, including reported strikes earlier this year that targeted senior Houthi commanders.
Recent Houthi Developments
The Houthi movement announced plans for a funeral for several fighters, including Maj. Gen. Zakaria Abdullah Yahya Hajar, whom analysts identified as the group’s drone and missile chief. U.S. officials have said Hajar was targeted in a strike in March; the Houthis did not provide details on the circumstances of his death when they announced the funeral.
Separately, the Houthis have intensified threats against Saudi Arabia and detained dozens of aid workers from U.N. agencies and other organizations, accusing some of espionage — allegations strongly denied by the U.N. and aid groups.
Bottom line: Riyadh’s public appeal seeks to defuse an intra-coalition dispute that could widen an already complex and internationalized conflict, but the standoff highlights growing rifts among key Gulf partners and the ongoing humanitarian emergency in Yemen.
