Al-mahra: Pro-government forces have taken control of all districts of Yemen's eastern Al-Mahra province after the withdrawal of Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, a local official told Anadolu. Mohammed Omar Suwailim, director general of the Youth and Sports Office in Al-Mahra, stated that the National Shield Forces have extended their control over all nine districts of Al-Mahra province following the STC forces' withdrawal.
According to Anadolu Agency, the handover process between the National Shield Forces and STC forces was carried out smoothly during a meeting attended by leaders from both sides in Qishn district, approximately 170 kilometers west of the provincial capital, Al-Ghaydah. On Saturday, the Yemeni government announced that its National Shield Forces had taken full control of Hadhramaut's desert and valley region after STC forces withdrew, as reported by Yemen's state-run media. The STC troops also withdrew from Al-Ghaydah airport and the presidential palace in Al-Mahra.
The National Shield Forces were established in 2023 following a decision by Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen's internationally recognized government, and operate under his command. There was no immediate comment from the STC, which advocates for southern secession and had taken control of Al-Mahra about a month ago.
Yemen has witnessed an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. These provinces account for nearly half of Yemen's territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia. On Friday, STC head Aidrous al-Zubaidi announced a two-year 'transitional phase' that would include dialogue with parties in northern Yemen and a referendum on the future of the south.
The move came amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of encouraging STC forces to conduct military operations along the kingdom's southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. The UAE denied these accusations. The STC claims that successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession, while Yemeni authorities reject this claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country's unity.