Saudi Arabia rejects the Southern Transitional Council's moves in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra and calls for calm
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed its rejection of the recent military moves carried out by the Southern Transitional Council in the governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, describing them as a unilateral escalation that does not serve the interests of the Yemeni people and is not in line with efforts to unify the national ranks.
The Kingdom confirmed in its statement that these moves were carried out without the approval of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, and without any prior coordination with the leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, which constitutes a violation of the agreed military and political hierarchy, and an action that deeply harms relations between the Yemeni components under the umbrella of legitimacy.
The importance of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra in the Yemeni landscape
The sensitivity of this situation stems from the paramount strategic and geopolitical importance of Yemen's eastern governorates. Hadhramaut, the largest governorate in the country, represents Yemen's economic and oil-rich heartland and has remained a model of relative stability compared to other regions throughout the years of conflict. Al-Mahra, on the other hand, serves as Yemen's eastern gateway and shares a long border with the Sultanate of Oman, making its stability vital not only to local but also to regional security.
The impact of the escalation on the Presidential Leadership Council
Observers believe that such unilateral actions pose a real threat to the cohesion of the Presidential Leadership Council, which was established in April 2022 with the aim of unifying all factions and forces opposed to the Houthi militias. Any internal conflict within the legitimate government's camp inevitably weakens the Yemeni government's negotiating position before the international community and diverts military efforts primarily aimed at restoring the state and ending the coup.
Calls for calm and a return to the political process
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stressed the necessity of the immediate return of forces to their previous positions and adherence to the mechanisms agreed upon within the Riyadh Agreement and the Yemeni-Yemeni consultations. Riyadh clarified that the highest priority at this stage must be alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people, supporting development efforts, and working diligently to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution that ends the Yemeni crisis in accordance with the three agreed-upon frameworks.
The Kingdom concluded by affirming its continued and unlimited support for Yemen and its people, and its commitment to the security and stability of the region, calling on all parties to exercise reason and prioritize the supreme national interest over any narrow calculations.
