Southern forces in Yemen will not unite under Saudi-led coalition, pro-UAE official says

A pro-UAE Yemeni official told AFP that southern forces, including Emirati-backed separatists, would not accept unification under a Saudi-led coalition, and planned talks in Riyadh remain uncertain.

A pro-UAE Yemeni official told AFP that southern forces would not agree to operate under a committee directed by a Saudi-led coalition. The statement followed an announcement by the head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council that southern forces should be unified under such a committee. That announcement came after the coalition moved to recapture two provinces seized by separatists. The official making the remarks, Faraj Al‑Bahsani, is a member of the leadership council, vice president of the Southern Transitional Council, and is based in the United Arab Emirates. Key developments: - Faraj Al‑Bahsani told AFP in Dubai that southern forces, including units affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council and forces in Hadramawt, would not accept unification under a Saudi-led command. - The Presidential Leadership Council leader had said southern forces would operate under a committee directed by the Saudi-led coalition after those provinces were retaken. - Bahsani denied that the UAE was preventing him from travelling to Riyadh and said he would prefer talks to take place outside Saudi Arabia if participants might face pressure there. - Saudi Arabia has said it will host talks for southern groups, but the conference date is undetermined, and the STC reports it has lost contact with some delegates who travelled to Riyadh and alleges they are being held there. Summary: Bahsani's remarks underscore persistent divisions among southern groups and between regional backers, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Saudi plans to host discussions remain unscheduled and the conditions and location for a credible dialogue are disputed. Undetermined at this time.