Joint delegation seeks to cool tensions after separatist council claims sweeping control, raising fears of deeper fragmentation in a war-weary country
A joint Saudi-Emirati delegation has arrived in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden, stepping into a volatile political moment after a powerful separatist group declared it had taken broad control across the south. The visit signals urgent regional concern that Yemen’s fragile balance could tip again, this time far from the original front lines.
Officials say the talks are meant to reverse recent unilateral moves and prevent a deeper rupture inside the anti-Houthi camp.
Aden back in the spotlight as power shifts
Aden has seen this movie before. Once Yemen’s temporary capital, the city has become a recurring stage for rival factions claiming legitimacy.
The delegation landed days after the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, announced it had extended its authority across southern Yemen. That claim included Aden itself, along with the eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Mahra.
For the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government, Aden is supposed to be its base. For the STC, it is the heart of a long-standing push for southern autonomy, or even outright secession.
One sentence explains the tension: two authorities, one city.
What the delegation is trying to undo
According to Yemeni officials quoted by state news agency SABA, discussions in Aden will focus on rolling back what they describe as recent unilateral actions by the STC.
That includes demands for the withdrawal of forces brought in from outside eastern provinces, a sensitive issue in regions that prize local control and tribal balance.
The aim, officials say, is not confrontation but correction.
The delegation includes military and political representatives from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the two Gulf states with the most influence over southern Yemen. Their joint presence is notable, given that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have backed different local actors at various points during Yemen’s long conflict.
This time, at least on paper, they are aligned.
The STC’s expanding footprint
The Southern Transitional Council was formed in 2017 and quickly became the dominant separatist force in the south. Backed in earlier years by the UAE, it has built parallel security forces and political structures.
Earlier this week, the STC said it now had a presence across all southern and eastern provinces, including Hadhramaut, Mahra, and Aden. It framed the move as restoring order after what it called governance failures by other factions.
Soldiers loyal to the STC were seen guarding key sites, including the compound of the presidential palace in Aden. Images of armed men standing watch outside government buildings sent a clear message, both domestically and abroad.
Control, at least on the ground, often speaks louder than statements.
Old alliances, unresolved rivalries
Yemen’s southern politics are layered and personal. The STC has clashed repeatedly with forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, despite both sides opposing the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls the capital Sanaa.
Those tensions date back years.
After the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, many anti-Houthi groups relocated south, including to Aden. Instead of unity, the south became crowded with militias, councils, and competing chains of command.
The STC argues it represents southern aspirations ignored since Yemen’s unification in 1990. Its critics say it undermines any chance of a coherent state.
Neither side is entirely wrong.
Why Saudi Arabia and the UAE are intervening now
For Riyadh, stability in southern Yemen matters for border security and regional credibility. Saudi Arabia has spent years trying to hold together a coalition against the Houthis while nudging Yemen toward a negotiated settlement.
A southern breakdown complicates that effort.
For Abu Dhabi, the picture is more layered. The UAE previously supported southern forces, including the STC, as part of its strategy to counter Islamist groups and secure maritime routes. But it also values predictability and coordination with Saudi Arabia.
A sudden takeover risks both.
This joint delegation reflects a shared fear: that unchecked moves by the STC could fracture the anti-Houthi front just as regional diplomacy is trying, slowly, to calm the broader conflict.
One quiet line says a lot: no one wants a new front right now.
Hadhramaut and Mahra raise fresh alarms
The STC’s claims over Hadhramaut and Mahra have caused particular unease.
These eastern provinces are vast, resource-rich, and historically cautious of outside influence. Hadhramaut, Yemen’s largest governorate, has its own local elites and security arrangements. Mahra borders Oman and has largely avoided the worst fighting of the war.
Any attempt to impose control there risks backlash.
Local leaders in these regions have previously resisted both Houthi advances and southern separatist dominance. Their reaction to the STC’s announcement could shape what happens next.
And that uncertainty is precisely what the Saudi-Emirati delegation hopes to contain.
What’s actually on the table in Aden
While official statements remain careful, Yemeni sources suggest talks will cover several immediate steps.
These include:
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Pulling back forces moved into eastern provinces without local consent
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Reaffirming existing security arrangements in Aden
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Preventing further departures of government officials from the city
On Monday, the STC said senior figures from rival groups had already left Aden, including the head of a key governing body. That exodus, if it continues, would hollow out the internationally recognised government’s presence.
Stopping that slide appears to be a priority.
One short paragraph makes it clear: legitimacy drains fast when offices empty.
A fragile pause, not a resolution
Even if the delegation succeeds in easing tensions this week, few expect a lasting fix.
Yemen’s southern question has never been resolved. Power-sharing deals have been signed before, only to fray under pressure. The STC remains popular among many southerners, and the government remains dependent on external backing.
Neither side can simply disappear.
The broader war with the Houthis, now in a lower-intensity phase, still looms in the background. Any southern fracture weakens the negotiating position of all anti-Houthi actors.
That reality gives the talks urgency, but also limits.
Regional stakes extend beyond Yemen
The situation in Aden is being watched well beyond Yemen’s borders.
For Gulf states, Yemen is a test case for managing conflicts without endless escalation. For international actors, it is a reminder that local dynamics can upend carefully crafted diplomatic tracks.
Aden’s port, its location near key shipping lanes, and its symbolic role as a former capital all add weight to what might otherwise look like an internal dispute.
In Yemen, though, symbols matter.
As the Saudi-Emirati delegation meets local leaders and power brokers, the message is clear: unilateral takeovers carry costs, and fragmentation benefits no one except those already entrenched elsewhere.
