Sanaa: Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council has declared a 90-day state of emergency and annulled a security pact with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following a dramatic advance by southern separatist forces. The Southern Transitional Council (STC) has captured vast areas in southern Yemen, including most of the resource-rich Hadramawt province and large parts of Mahrah.
The joint defense agreement with the UAE is hereby cancelled, said a statement issued by Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council. A separate decree announced a 72-hour blockade by air, sea, and land, as part of the 90-day emergency measures.
Alimi called the separatists’ advance an “unacceptable rebellion” and ordered the STC to hand over the captured territories to Saudi-backed government forces in a televised address. Analysts warn that the confrontation threatens to further fracture Yemen’s already divided government and complicates ongoing peace talks with the Houthis, who have controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014.
Saudi Arabia responded with concern over the developments, emphasizing that its national security is a “red line.”The kingdom expressed disappointment over the UAE’s alleged support to the STC, which Saudi officials say has pressured separatists to conduct military operations along Saudi borders in Hadramawt and Mahrah.
The steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous, inconsistent with the principles upon which the coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen was established, and do not serve the coalition’s purpose of achieving security and stability for Yemen,” said a statement from the Saudi foreign ministry.
Saudi Arabia affirmed it will take “all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralize any threat” to its security while urging the UAE to preserve bilateral relations and continue joint efforts to ensure regional stability.
The STC’s offensive has intensified existing tensions in southern Yemen, which has long been contested by separatist movements and government forces. The recent capture of strategic areas could undermine Saudi-led coalition efforts and stall fragile peace negotiations with the Houthis.
The situation highlights the fragile alliances within the coalition and raises questions about the UAE’s role in supporting the STC. Analysts warn that if the conflict escalates further, it could destabilize not only Yemen but also the wider Gulf region.
Diplomats and international observers have expressed alarm at the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Yemen, urging restraint from all parties. Humanitarian concerns are mounting as conflict in resource-rich regions threatens civilian populations, infrastructure, and aid operations.
As Yemen faces an increasingly complex political and military crisis, the world watches closely whether the Presidential Leadership Council, the STC, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE can de-escalate tensions or risk plunging the already war-torn country into further chaos.