The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen warned Saturday it would immediately respond to any military movements of separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates that undermine de-escalation efforts in the southern region of the country.
Any military movements that violate these efforts will be dealt with directly and immediately in order to protect civilian lives and ensure the success of restoring calm,” said Brig Gen Turki al-Maliki, a coalition spokesman, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Al-Maliki also accused the Southern Transitional Council separatists of serious and horrific human rights violations against civilians, without providing evidence.
This came a day after separatists accused Saudi Arabia of targeting their forces with airstrikes, something not formally acknowledged by the kingdom, whose relations with the UAE have been strained due to STC actions.
Yemen, engulfed in a civil war for more than a decade, has the Iran-backed Houthis controlling much of the northern regions, while a Saudi-UAE-backed coalition supports the internationally recognised government in the south. However, the UAE also backs the southern separatists who call for South Yemen to secede once again from Yemen.
The Council moved earlier this month into Yemen’s governorates of Hadramout and Mahra and seized an oil-rich region. That had pushed out forces affiliated with the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces, another group aligned with the coalition in fighting the Houthis.
The coalition now demands the withdrawal of STC forces from the two governorates, with local authorities back to overseeing them, and the handover of their military camps.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, the governing body of the internationally recognised government, said after an emergency meeting late Friday that STC movements posed serious violations against civilians.
The coalition said in its Saturday announcement came at al-Alimi’s request to protect civilians in Hadramout.