Saudi Arabia demands Yemeni separatists leave seized governorates

Riyadh calls seizure of oil-rich provinces ‘unjustified escalation’ as fragile anti-Houthi alliance shows cracks.Published On 25 Dec 2025Saudi Arabia has publicly called on Yemen’s main southern separatist group to withdraw from two eastern provinces they seized this month, in a move that threatens to deepen divisions within the governing coalition opposed to the Houthi rebels.Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the demand on Thursday, describing military operations by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) as an “unjustified escalation” after the group took control of the oil-rich Hadramout and al-Mahra governorates earlier in December.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2UN chief Guterres condemns Houthi detention of 10 more UN staff in Yemenlist 2 of 2Yemen’s government, Houthis agree to exchange thousands of prisonersend of list“The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilise security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences,” the Foreign Ministry warned.Saudi Arabia added that meditation efforts were under way, aimed at having the STC’s forces return to “their previous positions outside of the two governorates and handover the camps in those areas” to the National Shield Forces.Riyadh said it remained hopeful the separatists would pull back “in an urgent and orderly manner” to restore stability.The STC, which has previously received military and financial backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), moved swiftly into the two provinces in early December, seizing key oil facilities, government buildings and border crossings with minimal resistance.The group also took over the presidential palace in Aden, the temporary seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.