Yemeni separatists to attend Saudi talks after losing key southern sites

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 6, 2026 at 09:41 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Yemeni government troops, backed by Saudi Arabia, have regained control of Hadramout and al-Mahra governorates from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) after recent fighting. The STC forces withdrew from key locations like Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout, following military operations. In response to these developments, a delegation led by STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi is expected to attend peace talks in Saudi Arabia. These talks, requested by the Yemeni government, aim to resolve the conflict between the government and the separatists, which escalated after the STC seized control of the two governorates in December. The recent fighting has resulted in casualties and captured fighters on the STC side.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Rashad al-Alimi 30% Mukalla 35% Abu Dhabi 40% Riyadh 45% Aidarous al-Zubaidi 55% al-Mahra ×360% Hadramout ×465% United Arab Emirates 70% Yemen ×480% Southern Transitional Council (STC) ×885% Saudi Arabia ×890%

Keywords

yemen conflict 100% separatists 90% saudi arabia 80% southern transitional council 70% peace talks 60% al-mahra 50% hadramout 50% government forces 40%