UAE begins to uproot Islah Party from “pro-coalition government”

SANAA, June 28 (YPA) – UAE-backed forces in the Leadership Council and the government loyal to the Saudi-led coalition are seeking to overthrow the Islah Party and exclude its loyalists from government institutions, accusing it of fueling crises.

Activists from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and supporters of Tariq Saleh launched an online campaign aimed at removing Islah from government institutions in Aden and the southern provinces. This is the first joint action between the two parties since their coordination meeting last May.

The campaign accused Islah of exploiting the crises to strengthen its control over institutions and incite protests on the streets to weaken the government. It believes these moves aim to confuse the political landscape and create confusion.

The UAE, along with its allies in the STC and Tariq Saleh, is seeking to end its partnership with Islah, posing a challenge to Saudi Arabia amid competition for influence in the oil-rich regions. The campaign also pointed to Islah’s attempts to control Hadramout through the Hadramout Tribal Alliance, led by a pro-Saudi figure who declared “self-rule.”

These moves appear to threaten the agreements between Riyadh and the STC, with Saudi Arabia accused of supporting Islah’s actions. The campaign follows a complaint by Tariq Saleh to the Saudi ambassador against the president of the Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, for refusing to appoint figures close to Saleh.

The current escalation in disputes within the Leadership Council reflects efforts to reduce al-Alimi’s influence amidst the parties’ refusal to strengthen the structure of the ministry’s military factions. The campaign also reveals the UAE’s efforts to reorganize alliances to limit the influence of the Saudi-backed Islah party, which operates under other names.

YPA