The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday expressing concern over the recent military movements witnessed in the governorates of Hadhramaut and al-Mahra.
It noted that “the actions carried out by the Southern Transitional Council were taken unilaterally, without the approval of the Presidential Leadership Council or coordination with the coalition leadership”.
The Kingdom described the moves as an “unjustified escalation” that has harmed the interests of the Yemeni people across all segments of society, undermined the Southern cause, and weakened the coalition’s efforts.
The Kingdom further emphasized that, in recent months, it has focused on maintaining unity and has undertaken intensive efforts to reach peaceful solutions to address the situation in the two governorates, as part of its ongoing endeavors to restore stability.
The statement added that these efforts were “coordinated with the brethren United Arab Emirates, the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, and the Yemeni government to contain the situation”.
It said that a “joint Saudi–Emirati military team was dispatched to coordinate with the Southern Transitional Council in Aden, ensuring the withdrawal of its forces from the two governorates and the handover of camps to the National Shield Forces and local authorities under the coalition’s supervision”.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that efforts are still underway to restore the situation to its previous state, expressing the Kingdom’s hope that the public interest will prevail and that the Southern Transitional Council will take the initiative to de-escalate tensions and urgently and peacefully withdraw its forces from the two governorates.
Saudi Arabia also underscored the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni forces and components, exercising restraint, and avoiding actions that could undermine security and stability.
The Kingdom reiterated its position that the “Southern cause is a just issue with historical and social dimensions and can only be resolved through dialogue that brings all Yemeni parties together at one table, within a comprehensive political process that ensures a lasting solution in Yemen”.
The statement concluded by affirming the Kingdom’s “support for the Chairman and members of the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government, in a manner that achieves security, stability, development, and peace in the sisterly Republic of Yemen”.
