New Yemeni government forces deploy in interim capital Aden

ADEN, Yemen / ISTANBUL

Yemen’s government-aligned National Shield Forces deployed new troops on Friday in the interim capital, Aden, to reinforce security and stability there.

Military units reached Aden “as part of missions to enhance security and stability within state institutions,” the force said in a post on the US social media company Facebook accompanied by a video.

It added that the deployment falls under organized plans that include continued reinforcements.

The move aims to support efforts by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and the government to strengthen security and preserve social peace, the statement said, without specifying the number of units deployed, their composition, or how long they would remain in Aden.

“The move comes within broader plans to boost security and stability,” the force said.

Last month, fighting escalated between the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition. The clashes allowed the STC to seize control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in eastern Yemen, along the Saudi border.

The National Shield Forces later retook the two governorates and were deployed in Aden, with the STC dissolving itself.

The STC has long pushed for the secession of southern Yemen, arguing that successive governments have marginalized the region politically and economically. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and insist on preserving the country’s territorial unity.

North and South Yemen were unified on May 22, 1990, forming the Republic of Yemen.