UAE-backed Yemen forces set out conditions for withdrawal from south

The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has told Saudi that it will only give up on some of the power it has gained in the south of Yemen if the political aspects of the Riyadh Agreement are honoured.

The agreement, signed in November last year, called for forming a joint government after military and security measures were taken to restructure the formation of the state, however the STC has asked for the government to be formed prior to the fulfilment of the security aspects of the deal, sources have said.

An STC delegation arrived in Saudi for talks on Tuesday. This comes as “Saudi Arabia is dissatisfied with the Southern Transitional Council’s actions, and considers its announced measures, including the ‘self-rule administration’, as a clear challenge to the kingdom, before the recognised government,” a Yemeni official said.

The STC expressed its willingness to abolish the “self-rule administration” decision, which it announced in April, in exchange for “jumping over the security and military files in the Riyadh Agreement.”

READ: Yemen: UAE-backed STC refuses to hand government coastguards control of waters