Latest Reports Of Clashes In Aden; STC Not To Surrender To Saudi Arabia

As a result of the UAE ambassador’s arrival to Aden and his attempt to mediate between the militants of Al-Dara Al-Watan and the Southern Transitional Council, the tension in the southern city has come to a halt for the time being. In spite of the cessation of the hostilities, the leaders of the Southern Transitional Council are still accumulating their military personnel and equipment in Aden. To this end, Mukhtar al-Nubi, one of the commanders of the Southern Transitional Council, has threatened that his militants will fight every force, who wants to enter the city from its eastern gates. Furthermore, the militants of the Southern Transitional Council are trying to enter the Crater district in a bid to surround Al-Maashiq Palace (the Presidential Palace).

Following the move by the STC, head of the presidential council of the resigned government Rashad Al Alimi as well as commander of the Amaliqah militants Abu Zar’ah al-Muharami, who are members of the presidential council of the resigned government, left Aden for Riyadh on February 11 with the aim of staying away from the tensions in the southern city.

Read more: The Onset Of Confrontation Between Al-Dara’ Al-Watan and STC Militants In Aden

On the contrary, one of the commanders of UAE-backed Hizam al-Amni called Ismail al-Sabihi joined the Al-Dara al-Watan militants, which led to weakening of the positions of the Southern Transitional Council in Al-Mansoura area. Moreover, four commanders of the Southern Transitional Council, who were stationed in Al Anad region along with some of their militants defected from the STC and joined the militants of Al-Dara Al-Watan. Some local sources said that the reason behind the defection of those militants from the Southern Transitional Council is that Saudi Arabia stopped paying their salaries, and they would be paid twice as much as they were paid, when they join the Al-Dara Al-Watan militants.

On February 12, the Al-Dara al-Watan militants moved to the Badr base in KhorMaksar district and asked Colonel Abdul Rahman Askar, commander of the Southern Transitional Council, to evacuate the base and hand it over to al-Dara al-Watan militants, but he rejected the demand. The Badr base is one of the important military garrisons of the Southern Transitional Council in KhorMaksar district, which is tasked to secure the Aden International Airport.

The resistance by the Southern Transitional Council to surrender the military bases in Aden forced Saudi Arabia to dispatch more forces to the city from the al-Wadiyah crossing in Hadhramaut Governorate. The command of the Saudi-led coalition ordered their affiliated tribes in Abyan Governorate to accelerate the formation process of Al-Dara al-Watan militants in the governorate.

Given the exacerbating trend of tensions in Aden, the chance of a confrontation between the militants of al-Dara al-Watan and the Southern Transitional Council is very likely. Saudi Arabia plans to take back the full control of Aden from the Southern Transitional Council, and the STC commanders also aim to dissuade the Saudis from the decision by demanding the United Arab Emirates (UAE) support and resorting to empty bluffs such as surrendering the strategic city of Aden and other fronts to the Ansar Allah movement, and issuing similar statements.

Read more: Latest Updates Of Conflicts In Aden; UAE Envoy Rushes To Assist STC