Yemeni official urges STC to join Saudi-hosted conference for dialogue

By Anadolu staff

SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL (AA) - A Yemeni presidential council member called on the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Saturday to join a Saudi-hosted conference to discuss the current crisis in the country’s south.

Abdullah Al-Alimi, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, called for the STC’s “active and positive” participation in the planned dialogue conference, set to be held in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on the US social media company X, Alimi thanked Saudi Arabia for “sincere efforts” to restore calm and protect civilians, particularly in Hadhramaut, Shabwa and Al-Mahra provinces.

He praised Riyadh’s agreement to host a comprehensive “south–south dialogue,” calling it a step that reflects Saudi support for peace and stability.

He said the conference should include all southern political forces and figures, including the STC, without exclusion to reflect the south’s diversity and avoid repeating past grievances.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry earlier welcomed a request by Yemen’s presidential council chairman Rashad al-Alimi to host the conference in Riyadh, aimed at developing a comprehensive vision for addressing the southern issue. Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates also issued statements backing the initiative.

Meanwhile, Shabwa Governor Awad Mohammed bin al-Wazir said authorities in the south-central province would work with the Saudi-led Arab coalition to ensure stability, as tensions persist between government forces and STC fighters in southern and eastern Yemen.

“We affirm our support for the coalition’s efforts and will work with it to stabilize Shabwa,” bin al-Wazir said in a statement, expressing confidence in Saudi Arabia’s role in backing security and dialogue related to the southern issue.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki welcomed the governor’s stance, saying the coalition remains committed to protecting Shabwa’s stability and that no forces would enter the province without coordination with its local authorities.

Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, the STC head, Aidrous al-Zubaidi, announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with parties in northern Yemen and a “referendum” on the future of the south.

The move came amid a rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. The UAE 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.