Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad al-Alimi demanded on Tuesday that UAE forces withdraw from Yemeni territory within 24 hours, announcing a series of escalatory measures amid rising tensions with the Southern Transitional Council, APA reports, citing AlArabiya.
In a televised address, al-Alimi said Yemen “cannot withstand the opening of new fronts of attrition,” adding, “we are strong thanks to the support of the [Arab] Coalition led by Saudi Arabia.”
He said the Yemeni leadership has “never hesitated to confront terrorist threats,” accusing the Southern Transitional Council of refusing to respond to calls to resolve disputes and reach decisions.
Al-Alimi also described what he said was the shipment of weapons aboard two ships from Fujairah in the UAE to the Southern Transitional Council as “an escalatory step.”
The Yemeni leader also announced the cancellation of the joint defense agreement with the UAE, saying “the UAE’s role has become directed against the Yemeni people,” and called on all Emirati forces to leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours.
Al-Alimi further declared a 72-hour air, land and sea blockade at all Yemeni entry points and announced a state of emergency for 90 days, which he said could be extended.
He noted that “the air, land, and sea embargo excludes anything issued by the coalition.”
He also said the Homeland Shield Forces would be deployed to take control of camps in Hadramout and al-Mahra, adding that the governors of both governorates had been granted authority to manage their local affairs.
“We reject the exploitation of the southern issue to obstruct constitutional institutions,” al-Alimi said, adding, “the blood of Yemenis is a red line that cannot be crossed.”
He concluded by saying, “we have taken several decisions to protect civilians, which we will announce later.”
His televised speech came after The Arab Coalition in Yemen launched a limited airstrike targeting what it called foreign military support at Mukalla port, days after it warned the Southern Transitional Council (STC) against making military moves in the eastern province of Hadramout.
Two ships arriving from the UAE port of Fujairah entered Mukalla port on Saturday and Sunday without authorization from the coalition, disabled their tracking systems and unloaded large quantities of weapons and combat vehicles “to support the (STC),” the coalition’s spokesperson said.
The coalition said there were no casualties or collateral damage from the strike at Mukalla port.
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