Yemen declares state of emergency as southern separatists advance

WEB DESK: Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council has declared a 90-day state of emergency and suspended a security agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) captured large areas in the south. The decree also imposed a 72-hour air, sea, and land blockade.

Council head Rashad al-Alimi described the separatists’ seizure of territory in Hadramawt and Mahrah provinces as an “unacceptable rebellion” and ordered the STC to return control to Saudi-backed government forces. The move heightens tensions within Yemen’s already fractured political landscape and could complicate ongoing peace talks with the Houthis, who have controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014.

The announcement follows a Saudi-led coalition strike on a weapons shipment allegedly destined for STC forces. Saudi Arabia condemned UAE involvement, warning that any threat to its national security is a “red line” and vowing to take all necessary measures to counter risks along its southern borders. Riyadh also called on the UAE to safeguard bilateral ties and work toward stability in Yemen and the wider region, emphasizing that actions undermining coalition goals jeopardise both Yemeni and regional security.

The escalating conflict shows the fragility of Yemen’s political order and the potential for broader regional tensions as separatist and foreign-backed forces continue their maneuvers in the south.

Web Desk