Yemen STC withdraws from Riyadh consultations

The Yemeni Southern Transitional Council (STC) has withdrawn from the stalled Riyadh Agreement consultations held with the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

The STC delegation has officially informed Saudi Arabia of its intention to leave Riyadh, accusing the Yemeni government of obstructing the agreement’s implementation and delaying the formation of a new government, the Aden24 website reported.

The site said the STC has held government forces responsible for killing six of its fighters and wounding eight others during clashes that took place in the town of Al-Tariya, north of Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan governorate on Monday.

A member of the STC presidency, Salem Thabet Al-Awlaki, said on Twitter that the STC leadership has demonstrated the highest levels of responsible engagement with the mechanism for accelerating the Riyadh Agreement, overcoming all difficulties, and making infinite concessions in order to form the government, however, other parties wanted to win time and prepare for rounds of war financed by the coalition’s enemies, financially, politically and in the media.

Last July, the Arab coalition announced a mechanism to accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement, signed between the Yemeni government and the UAE-backed STC.

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