Yemen's STC offers Saudi coordination after being told to withdraw forces

Yemen's secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) has stated it is open to coordination with Saudi Arabia, a day after the kingdom demanded the group withdraw its forces from two key eastern provinces. In a statement on Friday, the STC said it was receptive to "any coordination or arrangements" that protect southern security and serve "shared interests" with Saudi Arabia, while also meeting the aspirations of the southern people.

Response to Saudi Pressure and a Mysterious Airstrike

The STC's statement appears to be a direct response to the Saudi Foreign Ministry's call on Thursday for the group to pull its forces out of Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces, which together constitute nearly half of Yemen's territory. The council's military takeover of parts of these regions earlier this month triggered widespread regional calls for withdrawal. In a separate development, the STC expressed surprise at an unidentified airstrike targeting its affiliated Hadrami Elite Forces in Hadramout, warning that such attacks "will not serve any path of understanding." No party has claimed responsibility for the strike.

The STC's Stance and Broader Conflict

The STC, which seeks independence for southern Yemen, argues that successive governments in Sana'a have marginalized the south. Its statement reaffirmed a commitment to "partnership with the Arab coalition countries," a reference to the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen's war in 2015. This comes as a joint Saudi-Emirati military team has been dispatched to Aden to negotiate a rollback of the STC's recent advances. The United Nations has warned that continued escalation could have catastrophic consequences for a country already enduring one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Regional Implications and International Concerns

The power struggle between the internationally recognized Yemeni government, the STC, and the Houthi movement in the north creates a complex, multi-front conflict that threatens any lasting peace. The STC's offer of coordination with Riyadh suggests a desire to manage tensions with its primary regional backer without fully relinquishing its territorial gains. Türkiye, which supports Yemen's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, views such internal fragmentation as a major obstacle to a comprehensive political solution and emphasizes the urgent need for dialogue that includes all Yemeni factions to achieve sustainable stability.