STC leaders boycott sessions of Riyadh-formed presidential council

ADEN, Sept. 01 (YPA) – Abu Zara al-Muharami and Aidarous al-Zubaidi on Thursday refused to attend the sessions of the Riyadh Presidential Council, for which Saudi Arabia is mobilized in the kingdom’s capital.

Southern media, citing sources in the coalition government, explained that Al-Muhrami and Al-Zubaidi refused a Saudi invitation to attend upcoming sessions in Riyadh.

It is not yet clear the reasons for the boycott, whether it is due to Saudi Arabia’s failure of their efforts to advance towards the eastern provinces of Yemen or because of holding sessions for the council outside Aden, but the timing of the boycott indicates that the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) is heading towards a new escalation.

Saudi Arabia has summoned the presidential members to Riyadh to attend sessions through which it seeks to issue important decisions and measures related to the status of Aden.

Tariq Afash arrived earlier Wednesday in Riyadh while the rest of the members are present except Al-Muhrami and Al-Zubaidi.

E.M