ADEN, Yemen: The United Arab Emirates announced early Saturday that it has withdrawn all its troops from Yemen, marking a dramatic shift in the Saudi-led coalition’s decade-long intervention and exposing deepening rifts among its key allies.
In a statement, the UAE Defense Ministry said the withdrawal followed a previously declared plan to conclude the remaining missions of its counterterrorism units. The process, it said, was carried out safely and in coordination with regional partners. The announcement came after several days of military airlifts, as Emirati forces disengaged amid escalating clashes between Saudi-backed units and UAE-supported southern separatists.
The withdrawal coincides with Saudi Arabia’s increasing military intervention against the Southern Transitional Council (STC), an Emirati-backed separatist force seeking independence for southern Yemen. On Friday, Saudi warplanes struck STC camps and military positions in Hadramout province as Saudi-aligned National Shield Forces attempted to seize the facilities, according to separatist officials.
The strikes marked one of Riyadh’s most direct confrontations with the STC, following earlier air raids on separatist forces and what Saudi officials said was a shipment of Emirati weapons destined for the group.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and their allied Yemeni forces have officially been united in fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control much of northern Yemen. The coalition’s stated objective has been to restore Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which was driven from the capital, Sanaa, nearly a decade ago. However, growing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi and between their respective local allies now threaten to unravel the coalition itself. Analysts warn that the infighting risks plunging Yemen’s south into further chaos and accelerating the country’s fragmentation.
Southern Separatists Declare ‘State of South Arabia’
In a significant escalation, STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi released a video statement announcing that a newly issued 30-article “constitution” would govern southern Yemen for two years, after which a referendum would be held on self-determination. The document proclaims the establishment of the “State of South Arabia,” encompassing territory that once formed the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, which existed from 1967 to 1990. Al-Zubaidi warned that if rival factions reject dialogue or resort to force, “all options remain open.”
The declaration represents the STC’s clearest step yet toward independence, raising fears that political negotiations could collapse into open conflict.
Fighting Intensifies in Hadramout
Saudi-led coalition officials have demanded that STC-linked Southern Shield forces withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra governorates as part of de-escalation efforts. The STC has refused to relinquish control of seized camps or hand over weapons.
According to Ahmed bin Breik, a senior STC official and former Hadramout governor, Saudi-backed National Shield Forces advanced on two separatist camps, prompting Saudi airstrikes after STC fighters refused to retreat. Mohamed al-Nakib, spokesperson for STC-backed forces, said the strikes caused fatalities, though no figures were provided. WNN could not independently verify the claim.
Al-Nakib later said intense clashes erupted across several areas of Hadramout, with the outcome remaining unclear as of Saturday.
-Sana Hamed
