Saudi-Led Coalition Warns Yemeni Separatists to Withdraw or Face Force as Southern Conflict Escalates
Riyadh urges the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council to pull back from Hadramout and Mahra amid mounting tensions within anti-Houthi coalition
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen delivered a stark warning to the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) this weekend, urging the separatist group to withdraw its forces from recently seized provinces or risk a forceful response.
The coalition’s statement, issued after requests from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, emphasised that any military movements that threaten ongoing de-escalation efforts in the eastern Hadramout province and neighbouring al-Mahra would be met decisively to protect civilians and preserve stability.
General Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the coalition, said Riyadh remains committed to de-escalation and peaceful resolution but stressed that actions undermining these efforts would be “dealt with directly and immediately.” The coalition reiterated its support for the internationally recognised Yemeni government and called on all parties to exercise restraint, engage in dialogue and uphold their responsibilities to protect civilian lives.
The warning follows a period of intensified separatist advances.
The STC, which has sought renewed autonomy for southern Yemen and is backed politically and militarily by the UAE, seized control of key areas including Hadramout and Mahra earlier this month.
The group has defended its actions as necessary to counter security threats and limit supplies to Iran-aligned Houthi militias, who have controlled large parts of northern Yemen since 2014.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman took to social media to reinforce the message, urging the STC to accept mediation efforts and hand over control of the contested regions peacefully to local authorities.
He described resolution through consensus as essential, stressing that unilateral military advances risk further destabilising Yemen’s fragile political landscape.
The STC has so far resisted calls to withdraw, insisting that its presence secures local interests and criticism of Saudi airstrikes near its positions.
Clashes and ambushes have been reported in Hadramout, where both sides accuse one another of escalation.
The rift has exposed tensions within the broader anti-Houthi coalition, especially between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long allied but now diverging over southern Yemen’s political future.
The United States has urged restraint and diplomacy as regional and international actors monitor developments closely.
Meanwhile, the United Nations and other diplomatic stakeholders have stressed the importance of dialogue and de-escalation to prevent further humanitarian harm in a conflict that has already exacted a severe toll on Yemen’s population.
The coalition’s statement, issued after requests from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, emphasised that any military movements that threaten ongoing de-escalation efforts in the eastern Hadramout province and neighbouring al-Mahra would be met decisively to protect civilians and preserve stability.
General Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the coalition, said Riyadh remains committed to de-escalation and peaceful resolution but stressed that actions undermining these efforts would be “dealt with directly and immediately.” The coalition reiterated its support for the internationally recognised Yemeni government and called on all parties to exercise restraint, engage in dialogue and uphold their responsibilities to protect civilian lives.
The warning follows a period of intensified separatist advances.
The STC, which has sought renewed autonomy for southern Yemen and is backed politically and militarily by the UAE, seized control of key areas including Hadramout and Mahra earlier this month.
The group has defended its actions as necessary to counter security threats and limit supplies to Iran-aligned Houthi militias, who have controlled large parts of northern Yemen since 2014.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman took to social media to reinforce the message, urging the STC to accept mediation efforts and hand over control of the contested regions peacefully to local authorities.
He described resolution through consensus as essential, stressing that unilateral military advances risk further destabilising Yemen’s fragile political landscape.
The STC has so far resisted calls to withdraw, insisting that its presence secures local interests and criticism of Saudi airstrikes near its positions.
Clashes and ambushes have been reported in Hadramout, where both sides accuse one another of escalation.
The rift has exposed tensions within the broader anti-Houthi coalition, especially between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long allied but now diverging over southern Yemen’s political future.
The United States has urged restraint and diplomacy as regional and international actors monitor developments closely.
Meanwhile, the United Nations and other diplomatic stakeholders have stressed the importance of dialogue and de-escalation to prevent further humanitarian harm in a conflict that has already exacted a severe toll on Yemen’s population.
