Security in Yemen’s interim capital, Aden, was stable on Wednesday, a senior official said, after security forces moved swiftly to deploy across the city and secure key government institutions.
Jaber Mohammed, a presidential adviser and director of the office of Presidential Leadership Council member Abdul Rahman Al-Mahrami, also known as Abou Zaraa, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security plan had been implemented within hours.
Since the early morning, brigades of the Giants Forces have deployed across Aden’s main streets, securing vital government institutions. “The security situation is calm and stable,” Mohammed said.
Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Ghaithi, a member of the Southern Transitional Council delegation that arrived in Riyadh, said the atmosphere was positive and that preparations were underway to launch a series of meetings related to intra-Southern dialogue.
In a post on X, he stated that he arrived with colleagues from Aden in Riyadh.
“In a positive atmosphere, we will begin a series of meetings to prepare for intra-southern dialogue under the sponsorship of our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Earlier, Presidential Leadership Council member Abdullah al-Alimi said that developments in the south represented a restoration of the state's authority, its institutions, legitimacy, and reference frameworks.
Al-Alimi said this was aimed at preserving stability and public calm, and clarifying the truth, free from the logic of conflicts and illusory victories.
The Presidential Leadership Council had decided to revoke the membership of Aidarous al-Zubaidi and refer him to the public prosecutor over accusations including high treason, undermining Yemen’s political and economic standing, obstructing state efforts to confront the coup, and fueling internal strife.
In another post on X, al-Alimi stated that the responsibility for maintaining security and stability rested with state institutions, local authorities, and all loyal citizens, in a manner that ensured the rule of law and protected civilians.
“What is happening today in the southern governorates after the rebellion of Aidrous al-Zubaidi, despite all the sincere efforts made by our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Presidential Leadership Council to prevent reaching this stage, is not what we had hoped for, and we are not happy with what has happened,” he said.
The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s legitimate government later announced new details surrounding the movements of al-Zubaidi, following military escalation by forces affiliated with the council in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki stated that the coalition had informed al-Zubaidi on January 4 to travel to Saudi Arabia within 48 hours to meet with Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi and coalition leaders to discuss the reasons behind the recent military escalation.
He said arrangements had been made for al-Zubaidi to travel on a Yemenia Airways flight, but the flight was delayed for several hours before being canceled, followed by heightened tensions and the appearance of gunmen and military vehicles near civilian facilities around the airport.
Al-Maliki added that forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council then moved to impose measures in Aden, including a military deployment, obstruction of movement inside the airport, the closure of some roads, and armed deployments across the city, which the coalition described as an “unjustified escalation” that threatened security and stability.
