Saudi forces deploy near Aden presidential palace amidst fear of UAE-backed separatist takeover

Saudi forces deploy near Aden presidential palace amidst fear of UAE-backed separatist takeover

Saudi forces have deployed military vehicles near al-Ma’ashiq Palace in the southern Yemeni city of Aden, local media reported.

Local media sources confirmed that a military force of UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) militias tried to storm the Palace of al-Ma’ashiq late on Tuesday evening.

According to the sources, the STC elements, aboard a number of military pickup vehicles, were stationed near the gate of the palace in a threatening move against the Hadi administration.

Saudi forces subsequently stepped up their presence at the palace’s internal security barriers, and ordered the STC militias to leave the vicinity of the palace.

On Tuesday, the STC threatened the Hadi administration during its meeting chaired by Aidarous al-Zubeidi.

According to the separatists, the Hadi government has failed to implement the commitments it had announced: paying salaries, improving basic services and putting an end to the economic collapse that is ravaging the southern provinces.

The attempt to storm the Palace of al-Ma’ashiq came right after after Saudi Arabia summoned the leaders of the STC for a new round of talks on the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement between the separatists and the Hadi government.

The Saudi-backed Hadi puppet government left Aden in mid-April, its headquarters in Aden had been stormed in what became known as the “uprising of the hungry” which was supported by the Southern Transitional Council.