Al Mukalla: The Saudi-led coalition has managed to defuse violence in Aden and bring back peace to the city after three days of fighting between the government of Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Southern Transitional Council.
Military envoys from Saudi Arabia and the UAE said on Thursday that the standoff has ended as concerned parties were adhering to a ceasefire and pulled their forces back to their previous positions.
At a press conference held in Aden, Mohammad Saeed, a Saudi military officer, and his UAE counterpart Mohammad Matar Al Khayli, called upon Yemeni factions to put aside their differences and focus on their common objective—defeating the Iran-backed Al Houthi militia.
“Security in Aden is calm as all parties have completely adhered to the coalition’s statement. Our goal is peace and stability in Yemen and preventing anarchy,” the Saudi military officer said.
Hours before the conference, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad Al Jaber, said that the Saudi coalition ended fighting in Aden and warring factions were respecting an agreement brokered by the coalition.
“The coalition has brought back calm and security to Aden. The trumpets of sedition have failed and wisdom has prevailed,” Al Jaber said on his official Twitter handle.
Tension escalated in Aden this week when the Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella organisation for key separatist figures and bodies in southern Yemen, demanded Hadi to recall his prime minister, Ahmad Obeid Bin Daghar by Sunday or they would camp out in the streets of Aden until he leaves.
By Sunday morning, clashes between government forces in charge of protecting the presidency and pro-STC forces broke out as the STC protesters were blocked from reaching protesting site in Khour Maksar.
When STC forces reached the gate of the presidential palace, the Saudi-led coalition stepped in by urging both to declare a truce and engage in talks.
On Thursday, military and security officials from the Saudi-led coalition were seen patrolling the streets of Aden and inspecting military sites to make sure that Yemeni factions observed the ceasefire.
Source close to the STC said that under a new coalition-sponsored agreement, the council has agreed to extend the deadline as to allow president Hadi to pick a new prime minister and the council stipulated replacing commanders of presidential forces with military officers from the Red Sea front.
Abu Zara Al Muharami, the commander of the Red Sea front, told Gulf News, that several commanders of brigades on the Red Sea have been tasked to lead some of presidential brigades in Aden.
