Aden: A high-level Saudi-Emirati military delegation arrived in Aden, southern Yemen, on Friday, marking a significant diplomatic push to address an escalating crisis in the war-torn country’s south. The visit comes in the wake of a major territorial and political realignment, with Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) asserting control over large parts of the south, including the strategic eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Mahra a move that has alarmed both the internationally recognized government in Aden and its Gulf allies.
The delegation’s mission, according to Yemeni government sources, is twofold: to defuse mounting tensions on the ground and to find practical steps to reverse a series of recent unilateral actions that have disrupted the existing power structure in southern Yemen. Diplomats and military officials from Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are expected to hold intensive discussions with local leaders and representatives of the government, amid concerns that the STC’s territorial gains could further fragment Yemen.
The STC’s takeover has been accompanied by deadly clashes, notably in Hadhramaut province, where at least 32 military personnel were killed and 45 wounded in attacks attributed to groups affiliated with the council. The violence has underscored the fragility of Yemen’s security situation and raised fears of a broader escalation that could engulf the region’s already volatile landscape.
What makes the latest developments especially volatile is the STC’s expanding influence, which now covers all eastern provinces of southern Yemen, including key urban centres and ports. The internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, has seen its authority eroded in these territories prompting urgent outreach from Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Officials have indicated that discussions will focus on reviewing the deployment of armed forces and ensuring that any external elements brought into the conflict are withdrawn.
The STC, historically backed by the United Arab Emirates, has long sought greater autonomy for southern Yemen and has often operated independently of the Yemeni government. Its recent advances have exposed rifts within the anti-Houthi coalition in Yemen’s protracted civil war a conflict that began after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement seized the capital Sanaa in 2014. The break from unified opposition against the Houthis threatens to reshape alliances and prolong instability across the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest nation.
Local analysts suggest that Saudi and Emirati envoys in Aden are working under intense pressure to create a framework for dialogue and de-escalation, aiming to return to a negotiated arrangement that safeguards Yemen’s territorial integrity and stabilizes the south. However, with myriad armed factions and external interests at play, the outcome of these talks remains uncertain. Observers say that how these negotiations unfold will have profound implications not only for Yemen’s future but also for regional geopolitics, particularly in the Red Sea and Gulf corridors critical to global trade and security.
As the world watches closely, the next few days of consultations in Aden could prove pivotal in either halting or accelerating Yemen’s drift toward deeper fragmentation a challenge that continues to test the diplomatic resolve of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the international community.