Saudi Arabian warplanes conducted a series of airstrikes on a military camp belonging to UAE-backed separatist forces in Yemen's Hadramawt province on Friday, resulting in casualties and revealing deepening fractures between the two former coalition allies.
Officials from the Southern Transitional Council (STC)—a separatist group seeking independence for southern Yemen—confirmed that seven strikes hit their camp in Al-Khasah. While exact numbers were not provided, the attack reportedly caused deaths and injuries. The STC also claimed to have repelled a subsequent ground assault by Saudi forces.
A Coalition Divided
The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which have been part of a coalition fighting Houthi rebels since 2015. However, their interests in southern Yemen have diverged, with the UAE cultivating close ties with southern separatist factions while Saudi Arabia continues to back Yemen's internationally recognized unity government.
The STC, formed in 2017, controls large parts of southern Yemen, including the temporary capital, Aden, and maintains its own military forces. Hadramawt province, where the strikes occurred, is a strategically vital region due to its oil resources and coastal access.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE had issued an official statement at the time of reporting. The attack underscores the complex and volatile landscape of Yemen's multi-sided conflict, where alliances are increasingly strained despite ongoing efforts to secure a nationwide ceasefire.
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