Troops disengaged under Yemen deal: Saudi-led coalition

SANAA

The military side of the Riyadh Agreement between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has been successfully implemented, the Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday.

“The troop disengagement in [the southern] Abyan province and Aden city has been carried out with discipline and commitment by both sides,” the Saudi Alekhbariya channel said, citing a coalition source.

The source said the military side of the agreement is about to complete according to the set plans.

“This paves the road for the formation of the Yemeni government,” the source said.

On Friday, government forces and STC fighters started a reciprocal withdrawal from the lines of contact in Abyan province under the Riyadh Agreement, signed in November 2019.

Last week, the Saudi-led coalition announced that both parties have agreed to form a new government, which will include ministers from the STC, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen has also been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara