The Yemeni government and separatists in the south of the country are close to concluding peace, said Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeyr.
“At the moment, we are trying to make peace between the transitional council of South Yemen and the government (Abd Rabbu Mansour) of Hadi. I think we are close to this. This will strengthen the legitimate government of Yemen and facilitate their negotiations with the Houthi”, – al-Jubair said in an Interview with the French edition of Liberation.
Earlier, it was told by a source that the Yemeni government and the southern separatists were supposed to sign a settlement agreement on October 17. In turn, an official representative of the Government of Yemen, Rajih Badi, denied information about signing of the agreement.
In September, in the south of Yemen, hostilities continued between government forces and forces loyal to the Transitional Council of South Yemen, which advocates the separation of this part of the country from the north, where the rebels from the Shiite movement Ansar Alla (Houthi) rule.
The situation escalated on August 7, when troops loyal to the Transitional Council of South Yemen seized government agencies, military camps and government organizations in Aden. After the intervention of Saudi Arabia, which, at the request of the internationally recognized government of Yemen, urged the separatists to vacate their positions and invited them to Jeddah to negotiate with the government, the Transitional Council formally agreed to the demands of Riyadh.
However, instead of freeing up positions in Aden, troops loyal to him began to seize other provinces in the south of the country. Since the beginning of the escalation, the Yemeni government has continued to accuse the UAE of providing financial and military support to the separatists and demands that Abu Dhabi end its policy of dividing Yemen.