Most Areas of Aden Under Control of Separatists; Yemen's Prime Minister Calls for Arab Assistance

Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr, Yemen's Prime Minister, accused the southern separatists of the country and called on Arab countries to save the city of Aden from the danger of falling into their hands. According to Reuters, the separatists, who seek independence for southern Yemen, have taken control of a large part of Aden and are clashing with government forces. Medical sources in Aden told Reuters that at least 10 people have been killed and 30 injured in these clashes. Aden is the capital of the Yemeni interim government led by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is recognized as Yemen's legitimate president by the United Nations. Since the escalation of the war in 2015, the internationally recognized Yemeni government has designated Aden as its temporary capital. According to Reuters, tensions in southern Yemen have increased since a week ago when the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist force supported by the United Arab Emirates, gave President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi a chance to dismiss the current cabinet led by Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr. On Sunday, January 28, Ahmed bin Daghr, Yemen's Prime Minister, in a message on his Facebook page, pointed out that the separatists have brought military units to Aden and established new checkpoints, accusing them of attacking the camps of Yemen's legitimate government. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation and added that the regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia and Arab countries must rush to assist the government. The southern separatists are supported by the United Arab Emirates, which is a member of the Saudi-led regional coalition. So far, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen, has received full support from this coalition and Riyadh. The French news agency noted the disputes between these two groups, which were united in the three-year civil war in Yemen against the Houthi group. According to Reuters, this crisis may undermine the opportunity that arose after the death of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of Yemen, for the Saudi-led regional coalition to defeat the Houthi rebels. The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, control Sanaa, the capital, and parts of the country. The United Nations reports that since the intervention of the Saudi-led regional coalition in Yemen's civil war, more than 8,670 people have been killed and nearly 50,000 injured, with over 60% of the casualties being civilians.