Yemen forces take full control of Al-Mahra after STC removal

(MENAFN) Pro-government forces have assumed control over all districts of Yemen’s eastern Al-Mahra province after the withdrawal of Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, according to local officials.

Mohammed Omar Suwailim, head of the Youth and Sports Office in Al-Mahra, said on Saturday that the National Shield Forces have expanded their presence across all nine districts of the province following the departure of STC units. He added that 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 (about 170 kilometers west of the provincial capital, Al-Ghaydah).”

Earlier on Saturday, Yemeni authorities announced that the National Shield Forces had also taken full control of Hadhramaut’s desert and valley areas after STC forces withdrew. Reports also said STC units pulled out from Al-Ghaydah airport and the presidential palace in Al-Mahra.

The National Shield Forces were established in 2023 by decision of Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and operate under his direct command.

There was no immediate response from the STC, which supports southern secession and had taken control of Al-Mahra roughly a month earlier.

Yemen has experienced a sharp escalation in tensions since Tuesday, after STC forces seized control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces together make up nearly half of Yemen’s landmass and border Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, STC leader Aidrous al-Zubaidi announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with northern Yemeni parties and a “referendum” on the future status of the south.

These developments come amid growing strains between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the Saudi-Yemeni border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. The UAE has denied the allegation.

The STC argues that southern regions have been politically and economically marginalized by successive Yemeni governments and continues to call for separation. Yemeni authorities reject this position and reiterate their commitment to preserving national unity.

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