UAE-backed forces advance in Yemen as Saudi Arabia withdraws from Aden

UAE-backed forces are advancing in Yemen as Saudi Arabia withdraws from Aden. On December 7, forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), secured control of the al-Aqlah oil facility in Yemen’s Shabwa province.

This move marks a period of significantly escalating tensions between UAE and Saudi Arabia-backed forces in the country.

According to military sources cited by Aden Independent TV, STC forces have taken full control of the facility. Many strategic points in the center of Shabwa have also fallen under the control of the UAE-backed group in recent days.

Riyadh administration evacuates Aden

The Sana’a-based news outlet al-Masirah reported that the Saudi army has begun evacuating personnel from Aden.

The report stated that a Saudi military cargo plane evacuated dozens of soldiers serving at the coalition command headquarters and camps. It was also noted that the Saudi-led coalition has completely closed Yemen’s airspace, halting civilian flight permits.

Analysts speaking to al-Masirah interpreted the evacuation decision as a “clear and deliberate response to the STC’s moves.” Recent actions, particularly in the eastern provinces of Hadramaut and al-Mahra, were reportedly seen by Riyadh as “crossing red lines.”

STC sources informed the Reuters news agency that some members of the Saudi-backed government have also begun to leave Aden.

Saudi Arabia has also withdrawn its troops from the presidential palace in Aden, where both the internationally recognized government and the STC have been based in recent years.

Control shifts in Hadramaut and al-Mahra

Last week, STC forces captured the strategic city of Sayun in Hadramaut, Yemen’s largest province.

Operating under the name “Promised Future,” the forces took control of the city following clashes with Ministry of Defense units loyal to the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council.

Sayun is the second-largest city in the energy-rich Hadramaut province.

Continuing their advance, STC units entered some areas in the oil-rich al-Mahra province, extending their military presence to the Omani border.

Clashes have been ongoing throughout Hadramaut since the end of last month. The “Hadramaut Protection Forces,” a Saudi-backed tribal structure established at the beginning of the year, called for “resistance” against the STC’s advance and accused the group of preparing to occupy the region.

Al-Masirah reported that STC forces conducted raids across Hadramaut, engaged in looting, and created an “atmosphere of fear” among the population.

According to information from the region, numerous homes were raided, merchants were extorted, and soldiers were beaten in areas controlled by the STC. The report emphasized that the group has become the “de facto authority” in the province.

Ceasefire collapses, separatist goal nears

An assessment by the Soufan Center noted that the STC’s recent territorial gains were achieved with very little fighting. Observers have interpreted this as an indication that some areas were surrendered to the Emirati-backed group.

Although a ceasefire was reached between the parties on December 3, the agreement quickly became void as the STC continued its advance.

The latest developments on the ground mean that the STC now effectively controls most of the territory it aims to establish as an independent state in South Yemen.

The UAE was one of the main partners in the Saudi-led war launched in 2015 against the Ansarallah (Houthi) administration in Yemen.

However, in recent years, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have been engaged in a struggle for influence and control in Yemen. Critics accuse the two countries of trying to divide Yemen to bring its natural resources and strategic ports into their respective spheres of influence.

Ansarallah forces made military progress in Ma’rib at the end of 2021, but the start of peace talks halted the attacks.

Although Saudi Arabia and the Ansarallah administration in Sana’a came close to a peace agreement in 2023, the process was not completed. The Saudi army is known to be continuing its bombardment of Sa’ada and other border regions today.

The STC is reported to have strongly opposed the negotiations conducted at that time between Riyadh and Ansarallah.