Southern Yemen clashes
| Southern Yemen clashes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present), the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, and the Aden unrest (2015–2019) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Saudi Arabia |
 United Arab Emirates | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
40+ killed 260+ injured On both sides as of 11 August 2019[2] | |||||||
  Aden Location of Aden in Yemen | |||||||
The Southern Yemen clashes were a series of clashes in the city of Aden between the pro-Hadi government troops backed by Saudi Arabia and Southern Transitional Council forces backed by the United Arab Emirates. The Southern Transitional Council took control of Aden and Zinjibar.[1]
Clashes
[edit]Battle in Aden
[edit]Clashes erupted on 7 August 2019[3] between the STC and pro-Hadi forces in Aden after a missile strike by Houthis killed several soldiers of the Security Belt forces in the city during a military graduation. The soldiers killed included Brig. Gen. Munir Mahmoud Ahmad al-Mashali al-Yafaei, more commonly known as Abu Yamamah al-Yafaei, a leading figure and commander in the Security Belt. The southerners accused the Hadi-led government, as well as Al-Islah party members who are part of the Hadi-led government but harbor deep resentment with the STC, for enabling the attack. The STC released a statement calling the attack "treacherous".[4] The next day, three people were killed and ten were injured in clashes between the pro-Hadi presidential guard based in Aden and southern separatists on 8 August 2019 following the funeral for the victims killed in the Houthi attack.[5] STC took control of Aden's Crater District on 9 August 2019.[6] The STC captured the Badr Camp and the presidential palace on 10 August and a total of 20 people were killed.[7][8][9] The Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes against the STC on the same day.[10]
Ceasefire
[edit]Clashes ceased briefly on 11 August 2019 following a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the United Arab Emirates. The STC agreed to withdraw from several checkpoints it had captured during the clashes and the UAE denied supporting the STC's clashes against the Saudi-led coalition.[11][12] The STC vacated some positions in Aden on 17 August 2019.[13]
Continued clashes
[edit]Clashes continued with lower intensity in Aden on 16 August 2019 after STC forces refused to withdraw from some of their captured positions.[14] On 21 August, the UAE rejected allegations that it was behind the developments in Aden.[15]
On 28 August 2019, Hadi-led forces recaptured most of the neighborhoods they had lost to the STC, including Aden's International Airport.[16][17] By the next day, however, STC forces recaptured most of Aden again. The Hadi-led government accused the UAE of launching airstrikes against its troops, killing at least 30 troops.[18][19][20]
Clashes elsewhere in Yemen
[edit]Clashes between the STC and Hadi forces erupted in Shabwah Governorate on 22 August 2019 after STC forces refused to withdraw from al-Akaf checkpoint. There were dead and wounded in the clashes which included heavy weapons. The Hadi government accused the command of the STC for blowing up the situation in Shabwah.[21][22][23]
Clashes occurred in Abyan Governorate on 20 August 2019 after STC forces took control of a camp in Az Zanjabar; several were killed in the clashes.[24][25]
Peace agreement
[edit]On 5 November 2019, the Riyadh Agreement was signed by the warring sides, leading to an official end to the conflict and fighting.[26] Despite this, tensions continued to increase between both sides and the STC withdrew from the peace deal in August 2022.[27]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Yemen to take legal measures against UAE". Middle East Monitor. September 2, 2019.
- ^ @aawsat_News (August 11, 2019). "#عاجل من #اليمن | #الأمم_المتحدة: مقتل 40 شخصا وإصابة 260 بجروح في اشتباكات #عدن http://aawsat.com pic.twitter.com/aoOQ7C3vjF" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ al-Batati, Sune Engel Rasmussen and Saleh (August 7, 2019). "Yemen Separatists Storm Presidential Palace in Aden". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
- ^ "Houthis Kill Top UAE-Backed Separatist Yemeni Commander". Washington Institute. August 1, 2019.
- ^ @SkyNewsArabia_B (August 7, 2019). "مراسلنا: مقتل 3 أشخاص وإصابة 10 على الأقل جراء اشتباكات وقعت في عدن عقب تشييع جثامين ضحايا الهجوم الصاروخي الحوثي على معسكر الجلاء" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @AJABreaking (August 9, 2019). "عاجل | مصادر للجزيرة: قوات الحكومة الشرعية اليمنية تسيطر على معظم أحياء مدينة كريتر" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "20 killed during fight between Yemeni forces & separatists in Aden city". radio.gov.pk. August 10, 2019.
- ^ @AlArabiya_Brk (August 10, 2019). "مصادر العربية تفيد بسيطرة مسلحي المجلس الانتقالي على معسكر بدر في عدن #العربية_عاجل https://www.alarabiya.net" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ عربية-عاجل, سكاي نيوز (August 10, 2019). "مراسلنا: قوات الحزام الأمني تستكمل سيطرتها على القصر الرئاسي في عدن بعد مفاوضات مع الجنود الذين كانوا بداخله".
- ^ "Saudi-led coalition launches strike against "threat" to Yemen govt". Agence France-Presse. August 10, 2019.
- ^ @AlArabiya_Brk (August 11, 2019). "رئيس المجلس الانتقالي في عدن: ملتزمون بوقف إطلاق النار الذي دعا له التحالف #العربية_عاجل https://www.alarabiya.net" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @AlArabiya_Brk (August 12, 2019). "محمد بن زايد: الإمارات والسعودية في خندق واحد في مواجهة القوى التي تهدد أمن المنطقة #العربية_عاجل https://www.alarabiya.net" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ agency, AFP news (August 17, 2019). "#BREAKING Separatists vacate some positions in Yemen's Aden: officialspic.twitter.com/ZYwCFEvefK".
- ^ Ahmed, Summer (August 16, 2019). "Saudi fighter jets dropping warning flares over Aden after Security Belt refused to hand over camps. #SouthYemenpic.twitter.com/ZdJQi8u8Zu".
- ^ @aawsat_News (August 21, 2019). "#عاجل | #الإمارات ترفض بشكل قاطع المزاعم بشأن موقفها إزاء التطورات في #عدن http://aawsat.com pic.twitter.com/3XMbNwIHsQ" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Yemen's govt forces take control of Aden airport - information minister". Reuters. August 28, 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ Politics, P. M. N. (August 28, 2019). "Yemen government forces storm Aden, seize airport – residents, officials | National Post".
- ^ "Hadi urges Saudi intervention to stop UAE support for separatists". aljazeera.com. August 29, 2019.
- ^ agency, AFP news (August 29, 2019). "#BREAKING Yemen government accuses UAE of launching air strikes against its troopspic.twitter.com/cN1ZDeRQgv".
- ^ "Yemen colonel: Airstrikes kill at least 30 troops near Aden - NEWS 1130". citynews1130.com. August 29, 2019.
- ^ عاجل, الجزيرة- (August 22, 2019). "عاجل | الحكومة اليمنية تتهم قيادة القوات الإماراتية في بلحاف بتفجير الوضع في شبوة".
- ^ عاجل, الجزيرة- (August 22, 2019). "عاجل | مصادر محلية: توسع الاشتباكات بين القوات الحكومية والنخبة الشبوانية بمدينة عتق لتشمل الأسلحة الثقيلة".
- ^ @AlArabiya_Brk (August 22, 2019). "اليمن.. قتلى وجرحى في اشتباكات في شبوة بين الشرعية والمجلس الانتقالي #العربية_عاجل https://www.alarabiya.net" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ عاجل, الجزيرة- (August 20, 2019). "عاجل | قوات المجلس الانتقالي المدعومة إماراتيا تحاصر معسكري القوات الخاصة بزنجبار والشرطة العسكرية في أبين باليمن".
- ^ عاجل, الميادين (August 19, 2019). "#اليمن: وزارة الخارجية في حكومة هادي: سيطرة قوات الانتقالي الجنوبي على معسكر الأمن في أبين جنوب اليمن تصعيد غير مبرر".
- ^ "The Riyadh Agreement" (PDF). Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC. December 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Yemen's southern separatists withdraw from Riyadh peace deal". Al Jazeera English. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.