Yemen's STC delegation in Riyadh announces disputed 'dissolution'
A delegation of the STC in Riyadh announces the dissolution of the separatist group, welcomed by Saudi Arabia but disputed by a spokesperson of the southern separatist group in Abu Dhabi.
A delegation of Yemeni separatists in Riyadh said their group was dissolving on Friday after a failed land grab, but the announcement was dismissed by its spokesperson who called it "ridiculous".
Southern Transitional Council (STC) secretary general Abdulrahman al-Subaihi appeared distracted as he read a prepared statement on a Saudi TV news channel.
"We announce the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council," read the statement, which was also carried by the Yemeni government's official news agency.
It also pledged their "commitment to working towards achieving our just southern goal through preparations for a comprehensive southern conference under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia".
Subaihi is among a 50-plus STC delegation that has been incommunicado since arriving in Riyadh in the early hours of Wednesday.
The delegation was summoned to Riyadh after the STC seized swathes of territory last month before being repelled by Saudi warplanes and pro-Saudi forces in Yemen.
However, STC spokesperson Anwar al-Tamimi, who is in Abu Dhabi, rejected the announcement coming out of Saudi Arabia.
"This news is ridiculous," he told AFP, confirming the delegation remained out of contact.
Saudi Arabia welcomes “dissolution”
Meanwhile, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman welcomed the announcement to dissolve the STC, describing it as a “courageous step” that prioritises a solution to the southern issue.
In a post on the US social media platform X, bin Salman said the move would encourage broader participation by southern Yemenis in the Riyadh conference and help bring different southern voices together.
He added that Saudi Arabia will form a preparatory committee, in consultation with southern figures, to organise the conference, stressing that its outcomes will be supported and presented as part of efforts toward a comprehensive political solution in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates first intervened in Yemen after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in 2014.
The UAE joined the Saudi-backed coalition the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.
The STC was set up in 2017 with UAE backing and eventually joined the government coalition, which controls southern and eastern Yemen. Last month STC forces suddenly seized swathes of territory, shifting the balance of power and pitting Saudi Arabia against the UAE.