The Saudi-led coalition rejected the separatists' autonomy declaration in southern Yemen on Monday and demanded "The end of any action leading to an escalation" of the conflict in this bloodless country, struck by a serious humanitarian crisis.
The separatists' decision complicates the conflict led by the coalition and the internationally recognized government against the Houthi rebels, who control much of the north.
Yemen's separatists signed a power-sharing agreement in Riyadh in November that stifled a battle – called "Civil war in civil war" – for the South which had seen them take control in August of Aden, the second city of the country.
"Following the surprising announcement of a state of emergency by the Southern Transitional Council, we once again insist on the need to quickly implement the Riyadh agreement"said the Saudi-led coalition.
"Revert to the Riyadh Agreement"
The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is supported by the United Arab Emirates, a key partner in the coalition, proclaimed the autonomy of southern Yemen on Sunday, accusing the government of not fulfilling its duties and of "Conspire" against the cause of the South.
For its part, the coalition said it had taken and will continue to take "Practical and systematic measures to implement the Riyadh agreement between the parties, to unify the Yemeni ranks, restore state institutions and combat the scourge of terrorism".
"The coalition demands the end of all escalation and calls on the participating parties to return to the agreement", she added.
In addition, at least 21 people were killed in floods this month, the streets of Aden having been submerged and houses destroyed. The United Nations said on Sunday that more than 100,000 people in Yemen were affected by torrential rains that damaged roads, bridges and the power grid, and contaminated water supplies.
"Countless families have lost everything", alerted Lise Grande, United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. "This tragedy comes on top of the Covid-19 crisis, which comes on top of last year's prefamine, which came on top of the worst cholera epidemic in modern history", she listed. “The solution is clear. Parties to conflict must find the courage to stop fighting and start negotiating ”, she said again.
The Riyadh Pact on Power Sharing for the South had been hailed as preventing the country's complete breakup, but in the absence of implementation, observers declared it lapsed.
Large deployments of separatist forces
Residents of Aden on Sunday reported large deployments of STC forces in the city. And a separatist source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that they had set up checkpoints "In all government facilities, including the central bank and the port of Aden".
Hussam Radman, a researcher at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, said the separatists already controlled the military and security in Aden, where they enjoyed popular support.
"But with this declaration, he will become responsible for the administrative part in the provisional capital, which has experienced an unprecedented decline in recent times" in service delivery and economic performance, he told AFP.
The main armed confrontation in Yemen is between the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran and who notably control the north of the country, including the capital Sanaa, against government forces, militarily supported by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. But the loyalist camp is also the scene of deep divisions, between the government in exile in Aden and a separatist movement, the Southern Transition Council.
