UAE-backed forces prevent government meeting in Yemen

Yemeni forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday prevented a meeting of officials of the internationally-recognised government in the presidential palace in Yemen’s southern province of Aden.

Local media quoted an official source as saying that the Security Belt Forces of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which has been controlling the city since August, closed Al- Ma’asheek presidential palace and prevented a meeting that was scheduled between a number of officials headed by the Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister Salem Al-Khanbashi.

The source added that the Security Belt Forces had refused to allow “the education minister, representatives and agents of a number of ministries to enter the presidential palace and forced them to return to where they came from.”

The source did not provide further details, while it was not possible to obtain an immediate comment from the Security Belt Forces on the Yemeni government’s statements.

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