December 31, 2025, 3:40 p.mDecember 31, 2025, 3:40 p.m
After the United Arab Emirates announced its withdrawal of troops from Yemen, the separatists they support want to hold on to the areas they recently conquered. The forces of the so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC) would “steadfastly” hold their positions, Mohammed al-Nakib told SkyNews Arabia. There will be no withdrawal from the provinces of Hadramaut and al-Mahra, which STC troops captured a few weeks ago. Both provinces make up around half of the country’s area in Yemen.
The Emirates announced the voluntary withdrawal of its troops. (symbol image)Image: keystone
Overall, the situation in southern and eastern Yemen was initially calm on Wednesday. Local sources reported only small and isolated movements without fighting in Hadramaut province. The German Press Agency learned from tribal circles that the STC troops had withdrawn from a camp in the province. A local alliance of tribes has taken control there.
The situation in Yemen is tense following the recent escalation between the actually allied countries Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. On Tuesday, the Riyadh-led military alliance in Yemen bombed a port on the grounds that the Emirates had supplied weapons and vehicles there for the separatists. Riyadh also joined Yemeni demands for an Emirati withdrawal from Yemen. The Emirates announced the “voluntary” withdrawal of their remaining troops on the same day.
It is unclear whether Yemeni government troops will now attempt to recapture the areas recently captured by the separatists. The TV station AIC, which is allied with the separatists, reported that the situation in Hadramaut was “stable” and that the STC troops were ready if there were new fighting.
The separatists in Yemen want to secede from the north and create an independent South Yemen. The country was already divided in two from 1967 to 1990. While the Emirates supports the separatists and their demands for an independent south, Saudi Arabia supports the Yemeni government and wants to maintain Yemen’s unity. A civil war has been going on in the country for around ten years with the Houthi militia, which controls the north and is supported by Iran. (sda/dpa)
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