Separatists from Yemen's Southern Transitional Council said on Thursday (January 1, 2026) that Saudi-aligned government forces would enter territories seized by the UAE-backed group, in a step that appeared unlikely to satisfy Riyadh after it repeatedly demanded their full withdrawal.
UAE says it will withdraw its remaining forces in Yemen
A surprise offensive by the STC, in which the separatists took control of resource-rich Hadramawt and Mahra provinces last month, has brought the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, officially allies in Yemen, to a point of unprecedented tension.
On Tuesday (December 30), the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen struck what it said was a shipment of Emirati weapons in the port of Mukalla destined for the separatists, a claim Abu Dhabi has denied, and demanded that STC forces withdraw from the newly captured territory.
In its statement on Thursday (January 1, 2025), the STC said it would continue to operate in the regions but had agreed to the deployment of the Riyadh-backed National Shield government force in the areas.
