 "The photograph shows fighter planes. (Representational Photo, Credit: AFP)")
Saudi Arabia on Friday struck a camp of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and killed at least seven people and injured more than 20 in Yemen’s Hadramawt province, an official of the separatist group told AFP.
In the latest escalation of Yemen’s spiralling crisis, Saudi Arabia carried out seven airstrikes on the STC camp in the Al-Khasah area of Hadramawt, according to Mohammed Abdulmalik, the head of the STC in Wadi Hadramaut and Hadramawt Desert.
Separately, STC deputy leader Ahmed bin Breik said the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces (NSS) advanced towards the group’s camps, but the separatists refused to withdraw, apparently prompting the airstrikes, according to AP.
On its part, the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government described the strikes as a “peaceful” and “pre-emptive” measure.
Salem al-Khanbashi, who was appointed on Friday by Yemen’s internationally recognised government to command the Saudi-led forces in the governorate, described the current operation as “peaceful”, according to AP.
“This operation is not a declaration of war and does not seek escalation. This is a responsible pre-emptive measure to remove weapons and prevent chaos and the camps from being used to undermine security in Hadramawt,” said al-Khanbashi.
Saudi-Yemen face-off in Yemen
The separatist STC is backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in its campaign against the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government.
Last month, the STC launched an offensive in southern Yemen, moving into Hadramawt and Mahra governorates and seizing an oil-rich region from Saudi-backed
forces. The development heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE and exposed their diverging objectives in Yemen.
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View AllFollowing the STC’s offensive, Saudi Arabia has conducted three rounds of strikes against the group.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has demanded the STC withdraw from these two governorates, but the separatists have so far refused both withdrawal and disarmament.