Saudi Arabia agrees to assist Yemen in resolving southern conflict

Saudi Foreign Ministry Invites Southern Factions to Riyadh Forum Amid Escalating Violence

The Saudi foreign ministry has issued an invitation to southern factions in Yemen to participate in a forum in Riyadh, aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in the country’s south. The PLC, a Saudi-backed body, had previously requested the meeting.

According to Saba News Agency, PLC Chairman Rashad al-Alimi called on different groups and figures in southern Yemen to attend the forum, emphasizing the “justness and centrality of the southern cause”. Al-Alimi also rejected unilateral or exclusionary solutions to resolve the conflict.

Deadly tensions have erupted in recent days, following a major offensive by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen’s Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces. The STC has been accused by Saudi Arabia of harbouring plans to carve out its own nation in southern Yemen, leading to conflict with the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The UAE has denied allegations that it is arming the STC, stating that it supports Saudi Arabia’s security. However, air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition have killed 20 people, according to the STC.

In a statement, the UAE expressed its “deep concern” over the ongoing escalation and called on Yemenis to prioritize wisdom and exercise restraint to ensure security and stability in the country.

The forum is seen as an attempt to resolve the conflict in southern Yemen. The PLC was formed in 2015 to dislodge the Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen’s north. However, the Houthis remain in place while the Saudi and Emirati-backed factions attack each other in the south.

The STC has unilaterally declared its intention to hold a referendum on independence from the north in two years. Meanwhile, former Yemeni diplomat Ali Ahmed al-Amrani dismissed the idea of secession as a solution to the Yemeni crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera