Saudi-Backed Forces Retake Mukalla from Southern Separatists

Saudi-backed forces have regained control of Mukalla, the capital of Yemen's Hadramout province, after it was seized by southern separatists last month. The internationally recognized government reclaimed the city following days of Saudi-led airstrikes targeting separatist positions.

Video footage depicted residents welcoming the returning National Shield Forces as they patrolled the streets in armed vehicles. The forces also secured areas around Mukalla's al-Rayyan Airport.

Local residents reported that the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) had withdrawn from military camps in Hadramout and Mahra provinces. The STC had previously moved into these governorates, seizing an oil-rich region and displacing forces aligned with the Saudi-led coalition.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, stated that the National Shield Forces achieved "record success" in reclaiming all military and security sites in Hadramout. Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout, was appointed to command the Saudi-led forces in the governorate.

The STC reported that Saudi warplanes conducted new airstrikes on a military camp in Mukalla and other areas where their forces were stationed. This development has further strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both members of the coalition supporting Yemen's government but backing opposing factions in the south.

In response to the escalating tensions, Saudi Arabia announced plans to host a conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions in Yemen "to discuss just solutions to the southern cause." The STC welcomed the invitation, emphasizing dialogue as the "only rational means to address political issues."

Yemen has been embroiled in civil war for over a decade, with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels controlling much of the north and the Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government in the south. The recent developments underscore the complex dynamics and shifting alliances within the conflict.