The leader of Yemen’s presidential council declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. He cancelled a security pact with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after separatists seized swathes of territory.
“The joint defence agreement with the UAE is hereby cancelled,” a statement said. A separate decree announced a 90-day state of emergency. This includes a 72-hour air, sea and land blockade.
The announcements by Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, come after recent events. The Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting in divided Yemen, stated that it struck a UAE weapons shipment. The shipment was destined for the separatists.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces have swept through the south of Yemen this month. They have taken most of resource-rich Hadramawt province. They also captured swathes of neighbouring Mahrah.
Alimi ordered the SCT to hand over the territory to Saudi-backed forces. He called the separatists’ advance an “unacceptable rebellion” in a televised address.
The confrontation risks tearing apart the already fractured Yemeni government.
It also threatens slow-moving peace negotiations with the Houthis, who ousted the government from the capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a military intervention by the Saudi-led coalition.
Saudi Arabia says its national security is a ‘red line’ after strike in Yemen
Saudi Arabia made an announcement on Tuesday. It stated that its national security was a red line it would defend. This statement came hours after a Saudi-led coalition struck. They described the target as foreign military support to southern separatists at Yemen’s Mukalla port.
The Saudi foreign ministry released a statement. It expressed hope that the UAE will take the necessary steps to preserve bilateral relations.
It also expressed “disappointment” over the actions taken by the “brotherly UAE.” They pressured the STC’s forces to conduct military operations on the southern borders of the kingdom. These actions occurred in the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahara. This poses a threat to the kingdom’s national security. It also jeopardizes the security and stability of the Republic of Yemen and the region.
“The steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous, inconsistent with the principles upon which the coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen was established, and do not serve the coalition’s purpose of achieving security and stability for Yemen,” it said.
“In this context, the kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line, and the kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralise any such threat,” it said.
“The kingdom also hopes that the brotherly UAE will take the necessary steps. These steps are needed to preserve bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries. The kingdom is keen on strengthening these relations. Joint efforts are essential. They should focus on well-being, prosperity, and stability in the region,” it added.
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