Exclusive: Riyadh, Abu Dhabi to set off fresh war in Yemen’s south

SANAA, Jan. 24 (YPA) – Political tensions, military escalations between Saudi-backed militias of Yemeni slain ex-President Saleh’s nephew and their foe UAE-backed Southern Separatist Movement in Yemen’s south are simmering, according to local monitors familiar with the situation.

The dispute emerged after Saudi Arabia last week handed over the southern al-Anad airbase in Lahj province to Saleh’s nephew General Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh of the country’s north, whom the southerners considered the general and his uncle former president Saleh as enemy.

The move has triggered a mass discontent among UAE-backed Yemeni southern separatist movement which run the country’s south.

The southerners have been seeking to regain southern independent state and divided from the north over political and economic marginalization since 1994.

According to the well-informed local officials, Saudi Arabia has ordered Yemeni party of Islah (Muslim Brotherhood) to join the military camp of General Tareq to fight against the UAE-backed dominant southern separatist movement.

However, the UAE has been arming the southerners and leaders of the separatist groups to defeat General Tareq and Islah party’s militants.

The tensions between rival forces came on the background of controlling the southern port city of Aden, which has been under control of UAE occupying forces since last year. Now, Saudi Arabia, which led a military coalition of mostly ten Arab countries, is trying to retake the control over Aden.

Bam