Saudi Arabia fails to obtain guarantees from STC in Hadramout

HADRAMOUT, May 30 (YPA) – Saudi Arabia has failed to get to guarantees from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) through local and regional intermediaries, not to ignite battles in Wadi Hadramout, Informed political sources said.

The sources reported that the STC is preparing to fight a new battle with the Islah forces in Wadi Hadramout (the first military region) after receiving information reporting the arrival of military reinforcements coming from the city of Marib to Seiyun.

This comes in light of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to deploy nearly 10,000 recruits from the so-called “Dera Al-Watan” Forces in the valley districts in the coming days, as part of its steps to abandon the Islah Party in Hadramout, and strip it of all its military and political powers in the province, in return for Riyadh’s attempts to rein in the STC, which seeks to control Hadramout.

Politicians confirmed that Saudi Arabia’s policy regarding Hadramout is moving towards understanding with Abu Dhabi, giving part of the powers to the STC in the province, and completely overturning its alliance with the Islah Party, removing the first military region from Seiyun and replacing it with the “Dera Al-Watan” Forces.

In a television interview last Friday, STC Vice President Ahmed Saeed bin Breik confirmed the existence of an agreement to deploy the “Dera Al-Watan” Forces from the people of Hadramout in the valley districts instead of the “First Military Region” forces loyal to Islah.

According to new information, the Saudi-backed “Dera al-Watan Forces” are preparing their elements to be deployed in the districts of Wadi Hadramout and take control over the “first military region” in accordance with the Saudi dictates that to preserve its interests vis-à-vis the UAE.

At the same time, the Islah party pushed large military reinforcements to the oil-rich province of  Hadramout.

E.M