ADEN, Yemen, Aug 20 (NNN-SABA) – Yemen’s internationally-backed President, Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, chaired a meeting of the country’s high-ranking officials, in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh, to discuss the situation in the southern port city of Aden.
During the meeting, Hadi discussed the repercussions of the armed rebellion, launched by the military units of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), against the state institutions in Aden.
Attacking the state institutions, military bases and security headquarters in Aden, threatens the country’s unity, safety, and stability, and contradicts the objectives of the Saudi-led Arab coalition.
The president also appreciated “the sincere efforts led by Saudi Arabia, to end the separatist insurgency and support Yemen’s legitimate authority.”
The Yemeni government officials will continue their meetings, to deal with the repercussions of this rebellion and to follow up the implementation of what was agreed upon with Saudi officials regarding the situation in Aden.
Last week, the STC forces seized all government’s military bases and the presidential palace, after four days of intense street fighting, but finally capitulated to the demands of the Saudi-led coalition that called for immediate withdrawal.
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government set the withdrawal of the forces belonging to the STC as a precondition for starting dialogue under the auspices of Saudi Arabia.
On Aug 17, the STC forces withdrew from a number of seized government institutions, including the country’s central bank, the supreme judicial building and the cabinet headquarters, following mediation efforts led by the Saudi-led Arab coalition.
But the STC forces refused to vacate military bases and vowed to seize all the country’s southern regions, including the southeastern province of Hadramout.
According to a statement by the United Nations, Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Lise Grande, scores of civilians have been killed and wounded, since Aug 8, when fighting broke out in Aden.
“Preliminary reports indicate that as many as 40 people have been killed and 260 injured,” the statement said.
Considered as Yemen’s temporary capital, Aden is where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has based itself since 2015.– NNN-SABA
