Head of the Presidential Leadership Council loyal to Saudi-led coalition, Rashad Al-Alimi, issued on Tuesday a decision aimed at imposing a siege on the Southern Transitional Council (STC) factions loyal to the UAE in Aden, southern Yemen.
Media sources reported that Al-Alimi issued a decision to establish the “185th Infantry Brigade,” formerly known as “Al-Kawasir,” funded by Saudi Arabia, and specify the brigade’s theater of operations on the international line in Abyan, east of Aden.
The sources confirmed that Al-Alimi, at the behest of Saudi Arabia, appointed “Ahmed Mansour Al-Marqashi” as commander of the brigade, which is considered one of the Islah-affiliated leaders loyal to the resigned “Abd Rabbuh Hadi.”
According to the sources, Al-Alimi began seeking the help of Abyan tribesmen to reduce the size of his opponents in the STC factions, especially the Khabar Lamaraqsha tribe, which controls the road leading to Aden in Abyan.
Observers considered Alimi’s decision a Saudi move to impose a siege on the STC factions after the arrival of Saudi military reinforcements since the end of February for the “Dera Al-Watan” factions that control Al-Shaab area, the largest districts of Aden.