ISTANBUL

Yemenia Airways resumed flights from Aden International Airport in southern Yemen on Sunday after a three-day suspension, the Transport Ministry said.

The resumption followed directives from Transport Minister Abdul Salam Saleh Humaid and the airline’s board chairman, Nasser Mahmoud, the ministry said in a statement.

Yemenia’s deputy general manager for commercial affairs, Mohsen Haidara, said flights will initially operate from Aden only, serving four destinations: Riyadh, Amman, Cairo, and Jeddah.

Haidara said services were restored after intensive efforts and contacts led by the transport minister and the airline’s chairman with counterparts in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in approval to resume flights.

On Thursday, Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced the suspension of operations at Aden airport, the main air gateway for Yemeni areas outside Houthi control, which operates flights to destinations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan.

At the time, Aden Al-Mustaqilla, a channel affiliated with the STC, claimed that Saudi Arabia had suspended domestic and international flights to and from Aden airport.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government denied the claim, saying the airport remained open to air traffic.

Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. Abu Dhabi denied the accusation.

The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity.