Strong Saudi Protest Against the Presence of Yemeni Armed Groups in the UAE
Rokna Political Desk: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense strongly criticized the actions of armed groups in Yemen’s southern provinces that are backed by the United Arab Emirates, describing these moves as a threat to the Riyadh Agreement and national unity, and stressing the need for an immediate halt to tensions.
In an open message, the Saudi Minister of Defense, while outlining the objectives of the “Arab Coalition” in Yemen, emphasized the necessity of an immediate cessation of tensions in the southern provinces of Yemen and implicitly warned that any military action endangering the Riyadh Agreement would be met with a decisive response from the coalition.
According to Rokna, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, referring to the holding of the “Riyadh Conference” and efforts to formulate a comprehensive political roadmap, particularly regarding the southern issue, pointed to recent developments in the provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah since December 2025.
The Saudi minister strongly criticized the actions of the Southern Transitional Council (backed by the UAE) in seizing control of the two Yemeni provinces, describing them as a factor causing “fractures within national ranks” and the “wasting of sacrifices made.” He stressed that these incidents have also harmed the just cause of the South itself and have dragged previously stable provinces into unnecessary confrontations.
Quoted by Russia Today, he added that the coalition “will deal decisively with any military movements that threaten efforts to reduce tensions.”
Emphasizing Riyadh’s political and economic support, the Saudi defense minister noted that the southern issue “will continue to be present in any comprehensive political solution and will not be marginalized,” but stressed that its only solution lies in “consensus, commitment to obligations, and confidence-building,” not in “military adventurism or unilateral separatism.”
Addressing the Southern Transitional Council, he called for prioritizing “wisdom and the public interest,” accepting joint Saudi-Emirati mediation efforts, immediately ending tensions, withdrawing forces from the military camps in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah, and peacefully handing them over to the “Dir‘ al-Watan” forces (the Saudi-backed Shield of the Nation forces) and local authorities.
Khalid bin Salman said that the time has come for the Southern Transitional Council, at this sensitive stage, to prioritize reason and unity by responding to mediation efforts. He added that the unfortunate events in the provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah have led to division and have damaged the just cause of the South.
Send Comments