Hadi threatens to resign in protest over UAE pressure: official

SANAA, Feb. 19 (YPA) – Exiled leader Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi threatened to resign from his post in the Saudi capital of Riyadh in protest against the UAE’s pressure on him to reshuffle Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr’s government, an official close to Hadi said on Monday.

Hadi waved to and hand over his duties to his deputy Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar if the United Arab Emirites forced the change of his ministrial team, the source added.

The UAE, a key partner in the US-Backed Saudi-led coalition forces fighting to restore Hadi to power, is moving to replace Hadi’s local government with leaders from its local allied the so-called Southern Transitional Council, which defeated Hadi’s forces last month and seized Aden city.

Abu Dhabi has accused Hadi of being a puppet at the hands of the Saudi-backed Muslim Brotherhood Islah Party and also of rejecting the coalition’s directives.

Political analyst questioned Hadi’s seriousness in waving the resignation.

Analysts told Yemen Press Agency that Hadi, whom Saudi Arabia forced to stay in Riyadh under house arrest, may try to provoke the UAE, which expelled him from the southern port city of Aden, his temporary capital, in April 2017.

Hadi has not been allowed to returnback to Aden since then.

In late January, Aden witnessed fierce military clashes between the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council and the Saudi-backed forces of the so-called presidential protection brigades loyal to Hadi.

The clashes lasted three days and ended with a significant progress of the council’s militias, which seized control over Aden after driving out Hadi’s forces.

These confrontations came after the Transitional Council demanded to overthrow the corrupt government of Bin Daghr and to replace it with a government of competencies. However, Hadi turned his back to the demands, triggering the council to escalate militarily.

Bam/Zak