A United Arab Emirates-backed separatist group in Yemen has agreed to the deployment of forces loyal to Saudi Arabia in southern territories it seized last month, marking a tentative step toward easing tensions between the Gulf allies. The move was announced on Thursday by the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Further reading: Saudi Arabia Strikes Yemen’s Mukalla Port, Accuses UAE of Arming Separatists

Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined the conflict in Yemen in 2015 with the shared aim of defeating the Iran-backed Houthi movement and reinstating the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Yet their alliance has since fractured due to divergent visions for the country’s future: Riyadh supports the central government, while the UAE has invested in building the southern separatist movement.

STC Statement on Redeployment

In a formal statement, the STC said it would maintain its operations in Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces, which it captured in December, while allowing the deployment of Saudi-backed National Shield government forces. “Today, we launched an operation to integrate the southern National Shield forces so that they can assume the responsibilities and missions that fall to our armed forces,” the separatists said. They stressed that the move is aimed at safeguarding the gains made against Houthi forces during their recent offensive.

Strategic Importance of Hadramout and al-Mahra

The two provinces are of significant strategic and economic value. Hadramout borders Saudi Arabia and hosts Yemen’s largest oil fields, including the Dhabba terminal on the Arabian Sea. Al-Mahra has been considered for new oil pipeline routes that could allow Saudi exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint repeatedly threatened by Iran.

Riyadh has repeatedly called on the STC to withdraw from these territories, particularly along the southern border, citing national security concerns. AFP reported that Saudi officials view the partial redeployment as insufficient, emphasizing that full withdrawal would be required to address security priorities.

Escalation Between Gulf Allies

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE intensified after the Saudi-led coalition struck a shipment of weapons allegedly destined for STC forces at Mukalla port in Hadramout. The UAE denied the claim and urged the STC to pull back from newly captured areas. Subsequently, the UAE Defense Ministry announced plans to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen, though most had already left in 2019.

Independence Risk in Southern Yemen

The STC’s recent offensive has heightened the prospect of South Yemen seeking full independence. Farea Al-Muslimi, a Gulf and Yemen researcher at Chatham House, described the partial deployment agreement as largely symbolic rather than a genuine resolution. The STC now controls nearly all of the territory that constituted pre-1990 South Yemen, including the strategic port city of Aden, Yemen’s main commercial hub, and the island of Socotra.

This consolidation of power significantly strengthens the STC’s ability to pursue independence, given Aden’s economic and symbolic importance. Analysts warn that the cohesion of Yemen’s anti-Houthi coalition remains fragile and could collapse entirely.

International Response

The United States, European Union, and United Nations have called for calm, warning that the latest developments risk deepening Yemen’s divisions. Currently, the Houthis hold roughly one-third of the country, mainly in the north and west, including the capital, Sanaa. The STC controls about half of the territory, while the Saudi-backed Yemeni government commands less than 15%.