Ministers withdraw from government meeting in Aden

ADEN, Dec. 21 (YPA) – Several ministers in the Aden-based government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, withdrew from a meeting held last night at the Al-Maashiq Palace in Aden.

According to media outlets on Sunday, the meeting was convened by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Sources confirmed that the defense minister and other officials still in Aden rejected an invitation from Al-Zubaidi to attend the meeting, with participation limited to ministers associated with the Transitional Council.

Since his move against the Presidential Leadership Council, Zubaidi has sought to involve Aden-based government ministers outside the council in public appearances, including during his activities in Hadramout, in what sources describe as an attempt to legitimize his actions. This reportedly prompted Saudi Arabia to instruct ministers to leave Aden immediately and refrain from meeting with Al-Zubaidi.

AA