Yemen calls for Saudi Arabia hold peace summit with UAE, Southern Transition Council
Saudi Arabia vowed to provide a “suitable environment for dialogue,” calling upon “all southern factions to participate in the conference to develop a comprehensive vision for just solutions.”
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council, submitted a request for Saudi Arabia to host a peace conference in Riyadh for all factions involved in the recent flare-up of violence in southern Yemen, Yemeni state-owned outlet Saba News Agency reported early on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the request in an announcement released by the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry, stating that the only way to resolve the conflict is “through dialogue within the framework of a comprehensive political solution in Yemen.”
The ministry emphasized the importance of “building on the close relation between the two brotherly countries” and continuing Saudi efforts “to support and strengthen the security and stability of the Republic of Yemen.”
Saudi Arabia vowed to provide a “suitable environment for dialogue,” calling upon “all southern factions to actively participate in the conference to develop a comprehensive vision for just solutions.”
Saudi-backed attempts to reclaim STC conquered areas
Late on Friday, Saudi Arabia conducted a series of strikes on United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in the Hadramout province in southern Yemen, Saba reported.
The strikes targeted the 37th Division Camp, the report added.
Saudi Arabia also carried out strikes on other sites recently captured by STC forces that were previously controlled by the Saudi-backed Yemeni coalition, with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces additionally reclaiming a large military base on Friday.
Hadramout’s Saudi-backed governor, Salem Ahmed Saeed al-Khunbashi, announced the retaking of Hadramout’s largest and most important military base, al-Khasha’a camp, after earlier stating that his forces were launching what he called a “peaceful” operation.
On Tuesday, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces conducted strikes on two ships suspected of delivering weapons to STC troops in the Yemeni port city of Mukalla.
The STC seized parts of southern Yemen in early December, pushing the Saudi-backed Yemeni government coalition out of parts of Hadramout and triggering renewed conflict in the region.
Seth J. Frantzman and Reuters contributed to this report.
