UAE-backed forces surround Yemen PM in Aden

A military group loyal to the UAE has stormed a government headquarters in the interim Yemeni capital, Aden, besieging Prime Minister Maeen Abdul-Malik, sources told Arabi21.

Two sources, who asked not to be named, said that the situation is tense in Aden after forces linked to a member of the ruling Presidential Leadership Council, Abu Zaraa Al-Mahrami, who is loyal to Abu Dhabi, stormed Al-Maashiq Palace, the residence of the president of the Presidential Leadership Council. They added that Al-Mahrami’s forces surrounded the prime minister’s residence due to his “refusal to pass a deal with a businessman loyal” to Al-Mahrami.

The storming of the presidential palace came less than 48 hours after the arrival of Abdul-Malik’s arrival to the interim capital on Saturday from Saudi Arabia.

“Calm may soon return to the Maashiq presidential palace, after the leadership council intervened to contain the situation, and instructed Al-Maharami to withdraw his forces, which surrounded the prime minister’s residence for hours,” the source added.

The Presidential Leadership Council is ravaged by disputes and raging internal conflict, in light of the conflicting alignments among its members, as well as the state of competition between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who both supported the formation of the Council in April 2022 but back opposing groups in Yemen.