Saudi-backed forces retake Mukalla in Hadhramaut showdown

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government said on Saturday it had regained control of the eastern port city of Mukalla, the capital of the Hadhramaut province, after it fell last month to forces loyal to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), deepening a power struggle in eastern Yemen.

Government officials said a rapid advance by their forces since Friday had rolled back gains made by the STC, casting doubt on the council’s stated plans to hold a referendum on “South Arabia’s” independence within two years. Saudi-backed units were reported to have seized key positions across Hadhramaut, while witnesses said troops had entered parts of Mukalla.

Residents, however, said STC forces responded by closing roads linking northern provinces to the southern port city of Aden, highlighting the risk of wider disruption as the confrontation spreads.

In a statement, the STC urged regional and international leaders to intervene, describing developments in Hadhramaut and the neighbouring province of al-Mahra as an “act of aggression.” The council accused northern Islamist factions, referring to the Islah party, of targeting civilians and vital infrastructure.

UAE expresses concern over Yemen
The United Arab Emirates voiced “deep concern” over the escalation, calling for restraint and dialogue and stressing the need for “sustainable political solutions that preserve Yemen’s security and stability.”

In a statement, the UAE said there was an urgent need to curb escalating tensions and address disputes through mutual understanding and durable political solutions, stressing that Yemen’s stability and prosperity must remain the foremost priority.

The statement additionally affirmed that calm and dialogue continue to represent the most effective means of overcoming the current challenges and advancing stability in Yemen and across the wider region.

Yemen remains unstable
Earlier on Saturday, the Saudi-backed Hadhramaut National Council announced what it described as the return of Seiyun, the capital of Wadi Hadhramaut, to state control, saying security and stability had been restored and the situation settled in favour of “the authority and prestige of the state.”

On the political front, Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Ulaimi said he had asked Saudi Arabia to host a conference to address the southern crisis, expressing hope that all southern factions, including the STC, would take part.

Southern Yemen has seen days of escalating clashes between the STC and the Riyadh-backed presidential council, following STC military moves and its takeover of the border provinces of al-Mahra and Hadhramaut, which lie along Yemen’s frontier with Saudi Arabia.