Khaberni - The Yemeni arena continues to witness rapid field and political developments since Saturday morning, where the forces of the Southern Transitional Council withdrew from vital locations in Al-Mahra Governorate in the east of the country, simultaneously with noticeable progress of the government forces "National Shield" in Hadhramaut Governorate.
These developments came after the president of the Transitional Council, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, suddenly announced on Friday the beginning of a two-year transitional period leading to the organization of a referendum to determine the fate of the "people of the south".
Here are the most prominent field and political developments in the Yemeni arena since the dawn of Saturday:
Call for a Southern Conference
Hours after Al-Zubaidi's announcement of the transitional phase, the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) reported a presidential official as saying that the president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, responded to the plea of the southern components and directed an official request to Saudi Arabia to host and sponsor a "comprehensive southern conference" in the capital Riyadh.
The official - whose name the agency did not mention - clarified that the anticipated conference is expected to include all components and forces and personalities of the south without exception, ensuring broad representation reflecting the diversity and political and social plurality of the south.
For its part, Saudi Arabia welcomed the request of the president of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen and confirmed its invitation to all southern components to actively and positively participate in the upcoming conference, contributing to formulating a comprehensive vision for addressing the southern issue.
Control over Seiyun
In the field, the government forces "National Shield" controlled the presidential palace and airport in the city of Seiyun in Hadhramaut Governorate on Saturday morning, as part of ongoing military operations to secure the directorates of the valley and the desert in the governorate and establish authority over vital locations.
Following this, Yemen's official satellite channel reported that Al-Alimi directed the relevant authorities to work on accelerating the resumption of flights through Seiyun International Airport, in addition to securing the necessary services.
The governor of Hadhramaut, the general commander of the "National Shield" forces in the governorate, Salem Al-Khanbashi, announced on Friday that his forces had begun moving towards the city of Seiyun, calling on the fighters of the Southern Transitional Council to withdraw immediately from the city, to spare bloodshed and prevent any military escalation.
Advance and Support
Yemeni media reported that Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen warplanes launched airstrikes targeting the Southern Transitional Council forces at Barshid Brigade camp west of Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut Governorate, as part of military operations' support for government forces.
In the same context, Al-Khanbashi announced that the National Shield forces also took control of Adwas Camp, located north of Mukalla city, early in the morning, confirming that the operation comes as part of a plan to secure the governorate and establish the authority of the legitimate government.
Al-Khanbashi renewed his call for the forces of the Southern Transitional Council to exit the city of Mukalla toward Aden, to preserve lives and prevent any escalation that might exacerbate the security situation.
Simultaneously, Yemeni activists circulated video clips showing the moment the National Shield forces entered the historic city of Shibam in Hadhramaut Governorate, where the scenes documented the movements of the forces passing through the city, indicating an expansion of the government control.
In turn, the Hadhramaut tribal authority celebrated the victories achieved in the governorate, describing the "liberation of Hadhramaut by the hands of the National Shield forces" as a "historic achievement that reflects the cohesion of official and popular efforts".
The authority called on the people of Hadhramaut to prioritize the spirit of tolerance and to align behind the local authority and Hadhrami components, enhancing security and stability and facilitating comprehensive development.
In a subsequent statement, Al-Khanbashi announced the complete securing of Wadi Hadhramaut, confirming the deployment of National Shield forces at all vital locations, and the full security of Seiyun International Airport.
He added that the forces began moving towards the coast to establish security and protect sovereign facilities, revealing a comprehensive plan to normalize the situation and ensure the continuity of public services.
Al-Khanbashi praised the role of citizens and tribal men in maintaining public tranquility, calling on security agencies and the community to protect properties and institutions, and affirming that Hadhramaut is moving towards a secure and stable future with the support of the Presidential Leadership Council and Saudi Arabia.
UAE calls for restraint
In the midst of these developments, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing its deep concern about the recent developments in Yemen, regretting the ongoing escalation in the country.
The UAE called on Yemenis to "prioritize wisdom and restrain themselves, with a focus on securing peace and stability in the country," and confirmed that calming and dialogue are the best ways to overcome the current challenges and achieve security and prosperity for the Yemeni people and the region.
Advancements in Mukalla
Later, the governor of Hadhramaut announced that the National Shield forces had taken over the command of the Second Military Region in the city of Mukalla.
Al-Khanbashi explained that the local authority requested the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy to destroy reinforcements belonging to the Southern Transitional Council forces in Al-Ghabra camp, before they moved towards the city of Mukalla.
He indicated that the Mukalla-Balhaf road remains open for the Southern Transitional Council forces to exit from Al-Mahra and Hadhramaut, in a new call for withdrawal and avoiding bloodshed.
"The Transitional" condemns the escalation
Meanwhile, the Southern Transitional Council condemned in a statement what it described as "Saudi aggression and the military war it is facing in the Arab South".
The council called on the international community to recognize the right of the southern people to determine their political future, urging them to deal with the southern issue as a just political case that requires comprehensive solutions, and called for an immediate lifting of the land, sea, and air blockade.
Qatar welcomes the Yemeni government's initiative
At the same time, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the efforts made by the legitimate Yemeni government to support the national dialogue course and address the southern issue, expressing its appreciation for the initiative of the president of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen to hold a conference in Riyadh to discuss fair solutions for the southern issue, considering dialogue as a way to address national issues.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry praised Saudi Arabia's hosting of the conference, considering it as ongoing support to achieve security and stability in Yemen.
It emphasized the importance of all southern components participating constructively, promoting the interest of the Yemeni people, and adhering to the outcomes of the national dialogue as a comprehensive consensual framework to reach an inclusive political solution that preserves Yemen's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Resumption of flights at Aden Airport
For their part, officials at Yemeni Airlines announced the resumption of flights at Aden International Airport starting from Sunday, after they were stopped last Thursday due to the political disturbances in the country.
The officials explained that the suspension of air traffic coincided with disputes regarding restrictions on flights headed to the UAE.
The Southern Transitional Council and the Yemeni government exchanged accusations about this decision amid escalating political tensions between the parties.
Shabwa supports the coalition
In a notable development, the governor of Shabwa, Awad Muhammad bin Al-Wazir, announced that the province neighboring the current escalation areas would fully cooperate with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy to ensure the stability of the region.
The governor stated, "We affirm our support for the coalition's efforts and will work with it for Shabwa's stability," highlighting his confidence in Saudi Arabia's support for the stability of the province and its role in enhancing dialogue regarding the southern issue.
In response, the spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Brigadier-General Turki Al-Maliki, welcomed the governor of Shabwa's announcement and affirmed the coalition's commitment to supporting and protecting the stability of the province and ensuring that no forces enter it without coordination with its local authorities.
Withdrawal from Nishtun Port
Later, sources informed Al-Jazeera that elements of the Southern Transitional Council had withdrawn from Nishtun Port overlooking the Arabian Sea, along with several government buildings in the city of Al-Ghaydah in Al-Mahra Governorate in eastern Yemen.
The government channel Saba confirmed the withdrawal of the Southern Transitional Council forces, adding that Al-Alimi directed the governor of Al-Mahra, Muhammad Ali Yasser, to take over the camps and work on normalizing the situation in the province.
For its part, the National Shield forces announced their advance toward Al-Mahra Governorate with the aim of peacefully taking over the governorate, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining security and stability and protecting public and private properties.
Following the field gains in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra governorates, Al-Alimi praised the exceptional success achieved by the National Shield forces in reclaiming military and security locations in Hadhramaut Governorate.
The president of the Yemeni Leadership Council mentioned that arrangements are underway to hand over the camps and sovereign facilities in Al-Mahra Governorate to the National Shield forces, urging the Southern Transitional Council to adhere to the path of dialogue and retract its unilateral measures.
He also thanked Saudi Arabia for responding to the request to host and sponsor a dialogue conference to address the southern issue, valuing its supportive stance for the security and stability of Yemen.
"The Transitional" welcomes the Saudi invitation
Meanwhile, the Southern Transitional Council announced its welcome of Saudi Arabia's invitation to sponsor a comprehensive southern dialogue, confirming that "this invitation represents a continuation of the approach adopted by the council since its establishment, based on dialogue as the only wise means to address political issues", with the southern people's issue and their right to self-determination being the foremost among these.
The council affirmed that any serious dialogue must start from recognizing the will of the southern people, with clear international guarantees, emphasizing that "a free popular referendum is the decisive factor in any proposed or future political solutions".
It also highlighted the importance of all south_CM_participating national components in the dialogue, ensuring a comprehensive dialogue that secures the future of the south and its stability and fulfills the aspirations of its people.
