STC deputy chief reaches out to Saudi Arabia, as Yemeni government regains control of half of Yemen’s territory

By Mohammed Sameai and Lina Altawell

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – As Yemeni government forces regained control of more than half of the country’s territory, reports emerged on Monday of a meeting between Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC).

STC deputy head Abd al-Rahman al-Mahrami said on the US social media company X that he had met with the Saudi defense minister to discuss developments in Yemen, posting a photo on his account along with Prince Khalid.

“The meeting was marked by a spirit of brotherhood and understanding, and explored the latest developments in Yemen, foremost among them was the just cause of the south,” he said.

Mahrami, a member of Yemen’s Leadership Presidential Council, added that the discussions also dwelt on ways to coordinate and strengthen joint efforts to support stability in Yemen and maintain regional security.

There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of the meeting.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia invited all parties in southern Yemen outside Houthi control to attend a conference in Riyadh to discuss the southern issue.

The invitation came a day after STC head Aidrous Zubaidi announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with parties in southern Yemen and a “referendum” on the future of the south.

Last month, STC forces captured the eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Mahra, which they account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

Last week, Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Mahra. Abu Dhabi denied the accusation.

The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity. Northern and southern Yemen unified on May 22, 1990, to form the Republic of Yemen.

- Looted weapons

Monday’s meeting came as the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces regained control of more than half of the country’s territory after the STC troop withdrawal from Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces.

As the STC forces withdrew, weapons left behind in the two regions were looted by civilians, raising safety concerns.

“Large quantities of shells and ammunition had reached civilian homes and neighborhoods in recent hours,” the Yemen Mine Action Observatory, a nongovernmental organization, warned in a statement on Monday.

It explained that the weapons were taken from military and security depots in Hadhramaut and Mahra after they were left unguarded.

“Most of the munitions were stored inside homes in unsafe and makeshift ways” it said, warning that they could explode at any time, potentially wiping out entire families and destroying whole residential neighborhoods.

The organization urged civilians to “immediately remove all shells and ammunition from their homes and hand them over to the relevant military and security authorities.”

It also called on local authorities in Hadhramaut and Mahra to “protect military sites and prevent further tampering with weapons” to stop more munitions from reaching residential areas.

- Restoring normal life

On the ground, Hadhramaut Governor Salem al-Khanbashi said late Sunday that government forces had regained full control of the province, Yemen’s largest by area at about 193,000 square kilometers, and had begun managing affairs and restoring normal life.

“From Seiyun, we begin managing the affairs of Hadhramaut,” Khanbashi said. “The remaining pockets affiliated with the STC had been eliminated.”

His remarks came a day after the government announced that it had captured Seiyun International Airport from STC forces.

Khanbashi returned to Hadhramaut from Saudi Arabia after an absence of about a month due to the military developments, according to Yemeni media.

Upon his arrival, he held a meeting in Seiyun with military and security leaders and local figures from the Wadi and Desert districts of Hadhramaut, local sources said.

He stressed the need to restore normal life and provide essential services to residents, and warned that “unspecified decisive measures” would be taken against military and security leaders who failed government forces and supported the STC during its control of the province, he said.

In Mahra, often described as Yemen’s “eastern gateway,” government forces consolidated control after the STC withdrawal. Coordination between the government and the Saudi-led coalition played a key role in the gains, according to officials.

Head of Yemen’s presidential council, Rashad al-Alimi, congratulated residents of Hadhramaut and Mahra on the successful and swift takeover of the military camps from the STC forces, saying it exceeded expectations and helped strengthen security and stability.

He praised local authorities in the two provinces for what he described as their “responsible and wise leadership” during the transition, prioritizing the public interest.

Alimi said the developments reflected local communities rallying around the state and its institutions and laid the groundwork for “a new phase of coexistence, the resumption of services and improved living conditions.”

He also praised the Saudi-led coalition for what he described as a “decisive role in securing the takeover of military camps, reducing escalation and protecting civilians.”