ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's transport ministry, which is aligned with Emirati-backed southern separatist authorities, on Thursday said Saudi Arabia has imposed requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden International Airport undergo inspection in Jeddah.
The ministry, which is affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, said in a statement that it was "shocked" by what it denounced as "sudden procedures" requiring international flights departing from or arriving in Aden to stop in Jeddah for inspection before continuing their journeys.
When local officials sought clarification, Saudi authorities said the restriction applies only to flights operating between the Yemeni city of Aden and the United Arab Emirates, according to the ministry's statement.
The reasons behind the measures reportedly imposed by Saudi Arabia remain unclear. The Saudi and Emirati foreign ministries didn't immediately respond to requests for confirmation and comment.
In its statement, the ministry demanded "an end to the air blockade imposed on the Yemeni people, a reversal of these measures, and a continuation of the previous mechanisms that have been in place for years."
This latest development comes amidfurther strained ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula that increasingly have competed over economic issues and regional politics, particularly inthe Red Sea area.
Tensions rose after the STC moved last month into Yemen'sgovernorates of Hadramout and Mahraand seized an oil-rich region. The move pushed out forces affiliated with the Saudi-supported National Shield Forces, another group aligned with the coalition in fighting the Iran-backed Houthis.
Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war for more than a decade with the Iran-aided Houthis controlling much of the northern regions, while a Saudi-UAE-backed coalition supports the internationally recognized government in the south. However, the UAE also helps the southern separatists who call for South Yemen to secede once again from Yemen. Those aligned with the council have increasingly flown the flag of South Yemen, which was a separate country from 1967-1990.
The United Statesurged diplomacyin Yemen while the Saudi-led coalition in Yeme now demanded the withdrawal of STC forces from the two governorates as part of de-escalation efforts, with local authorities returning to oversee them, and the handover of their military camps.
Faez bin Omar, a leader with the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy, told The Associated Press Thursday that UAE-backed forces started withdrawing from al-Rayyan base, which is located inMukalla city, the capital of Hadramout, two days ago.
The Council's forces operating in the airport at al-Rayyan base are working to remove weapons and military vehicles left behind their allied forces, however, the situation could still develop, according to Bin Omar. "The Council forces are present inside and around the airport, apparently waiting for the UAE-backed forces to complete their withdrawal tomorrow morning. The base is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, and there has been a military operations room there for several years, used by the UAE allegedly combating terrorism," he said.
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