STC response to withdrawal calls in Yemen’s Hadramout remains 'limited': governor

Hadramout Governor Salem al-Khanbashi said that the response of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) for government calls to withdraw its forces from the eastern Yemeni province remains “limited.”

“There has been withdrawals from some areas in eastern Wadi Hadramout, from Al-Mukalla Airport, and from the Dhabba area,” Khanbashi told Al Jazeera television in an interview aired late Wednesday.

“Large STC forces, however, are still stationed in the Wadi Hadramout and the city of Shibam,” he added.

The governor, who is affiliated with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, urged the STC to withdraw its forces from the province and return to their previous positions.

“We want to avoid any bloodshed,” he added.

Tension escalated in southern Yemen last month after the STC forces captured Hadramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen after clashes with government forces. The two governorates together make up nearly half of Yemen’s land area.

STC spokesman Mohammed al-Naqeeb claimed Wednesday that the council’s forces redeployed in the province, as part of what he called coordination with the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

“The first brigade of the Nation’s Shield Forces was repositioned to the Thamud area, and the other units would redeploy to the Ramah area and additional locations in Hadramout and Mahra provinces,” he said.

The spokesman added that all these areas are close to the border with Saudi Arabia.

"This deployment and organisation comes under the directives of STC chairman Aidarus al-Zubaidi, and aims to ensure the security, safety, and unity of the south, particularly Hadramout and Mahra," he said.

“The operation continues to achieve its objectives of cutting off arms smuggling routes to the Houthi militias, combating terrorist organisations, and stopping the exploitation of Hadramout resources, thereby strengthening security and stability in the south."

The redeployment came a day after sharp tensions flared between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over Yemen, following an air strike by the Arab coalition targeting two ships at the port of Mukalla.

Amid the fast-moving dispute, the Yemeni presidential council announced the cancellation of a joint defence agreement with the UAE and ordered all Emirati forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused the UAE of pushing the STC forces to carry out military operations along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadramout and Mahra. The UAE rejected what it called “allegations” and stressed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security.

The Emirati Defence Ministry later said it had completed the mission of its remaining “counterterrorism” teams in Yemen.