Tribal Mediation Leads to Short Truce in Yemen’s Abyan

Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
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Tribal Mediation Leads to Short Truce in Yemen’s Abyan

Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)
Southern separatist fighters patrol a road during clashes with government forces in Aden, Yemen August 29, 2019. (Reuters)

A tribal mediation led to a short truce between the legitimate government and Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen’s Abyan province for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The three-day truce went into effect on Sunday some two weeks after fighting erupted between the two sides, with neither claiming any progress on the ground.

Abyan tribal sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that tribal elders in al-Marashqa met with field commanders from both parties to propose a short-term truce in the Sheikh Salem, Tarya and surrounding areas.

Including a complete cessation of hostilities, people were allowed to traveled to and from Abyan’s capital, Zinjibar, which is held by the STC, and Shaqra city, which is held by the government.

Local sources said calm prevailed on the frontlines on Sunday morning and until late at night.

The government did not comment on the truce, but STC spokesman Nizar Haitham said the council is committed to the ceasefire as long as the other side is.

“We are in a state of self-defense. We are committed to any truce and we back the tribal efforts for the humanitarian truce,” he remarked.

The mediators said the truce could be extended if the two parties committed to the ceasefire, which ends of Tuesday.

The truce got underway a day after some of the fiercest fighting in Abyan during which commander of the government’s 153rd Brigade, Mohammed Saleh al-Aquili, was killed.

President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Vice President Alli Mohsen Saleh and Defense Minister Mohammed al-Maqdishi offered their condolences over his death, saying he fought at the frontline along with the army and resistance on various fronts. He had commanded several operations to liberate territory from the Iran-backed Houthi militias and was among the first to meet the call to save the country from the militants.

The Defense Ministry also announced the death of commander of the 61st Brigade, Hussein al-Usseimi, during battles against the Houthis in the al-Jawf province. It hailed his heroics while he carried out his national duty in defending the revolution and republic.



Lebanon's President Stresses Urgency of Israeli Pullout from South

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Lebanon's President Stresses Urgency of Israeli Pullout from South

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

Lebanon's new president Joseph Aoun stressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday the urgency of an Israeli military withdrawal as stipulated by a ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November.
According to a statement by the Lebanese presidency on X, Aoun told Guterres during a meeting at Baabda Palace that continued Israeli breaches were a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and the agreed ceasefire deal.
The ceasefire, which took effect on Nov. 27 and was brokered by the United States and France, requires Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, and for Hezbollah to remove all its fighters and weapons from the south.
Guterres said the UN would exert utmost efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal within the set deadline under the ceasefire terms, according to the statement.
He had said on Friday the Israeli military's continued occupation of territory in south Lebanon and the conduct of military operations in Lebanese territory were violations of a UN resolution upon which the ceasefire is based.
Despite the deal, Israeli forces have continued strikes on what they say are Hezbollah fighters ignoring the accord under which they must halt attacks and withdraw beyond the Litani River, about 30 km from the border with Israel.