Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has called for Yemen's southern factions to attend a 'dialogue' in Riyadh, after a dramatic turn of events in the south brought Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates into unprecedented direct confrontation. Both Gulf powers have intervened on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognised government in the country's long-running civil war, but a fracturing of the alliance has seen them backing different rival groups on the ground. One of the groups is now pushing to declare the independence of a breakaway state in southern Yemen. On Friday, the UAE-backed force declared that a 'war' had begun, accusing Saudi-backed ground forces of launching an attack alongside air strikes by the Saudi air force.
The Saudi ministry urged 'a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions to discuss just solutions to the southern cause' in a statement on social media. Yemen's civil war broke out in 2014 and has plunged the already impoverished country into years of deadly violence and one of the world's worst hunger crises.
Since the start of the war, the Iran-backed rebel Houthi movement has taken control of most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015, launching a military campaign by a coalition of Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to restore the government's rule. A ceasefire has de-escalated the conflict with the Houthis in recent years, leading to a freezing of front lines. Despite this, the ruling coalition has frayed, with the UAE-backed STC seizing control of southern Yemen.
The STC's recent military offensive has raised alarms and prompted Saudi military action. Recent air strikes have confirmed this growing threat to Saudi national security, particularly as STC ambitions of independence are seen as defiant to the Saudi-led coalition's interests. With regional security at stake, Saudi Arabia's calls for dialogue come at a critical juncture as Yemen faces dire humanitarian crises, exacerbated by ongoing fighting and economic decline.
The Saudi ministry urged 'a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions to discuss just solutions to the southern cause' in a statement on social media. Yemen's civil war broke out in 2014 and has plunged the already impoverished country into years of deadly violence and one of the world's worst hunger crises.
Since the start of the war, the Iran-backed rebel Houthi movement has taken control of most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015, launching a military campaign by a coalition of Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to restore the government's rule. A ceasefire has de-escalated the conflict with the Houthis in recent years, leading to a freezing of front lines. Despite this, the ruling coalition has frayed, with the UAE-backed STC seizing control of southern Yemen.
The STC's recent military offensive has raised alarms and prompted Saudi military action. Recent air strikes have confirmed this growing threat to Saudi national security, particularly as STC ambitions of independence are seen as defiant to the Saudi-led coalition's interests. With regional security at stake, Saudi Arabia's calls for dialogue come at a critical juncture as Yemen faces dire humanitarian crises, exacerbated by ongoing fighting and economic decline.
