Saudi Arabia has moved to contain a rapidly escalating power struggle in southern Yemen, welcoming a request by the country’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) to convene rival southern factions in Riyadh for talks aimed at defusing the crisis. The initiative comes as renewed fighting threatens to fracture Yemen further, strain relations between Gulf allies, and open a dangerous new chapter in a war that has already devastated the country for nearly a decade.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Saudi foreign ministry said it supported the proposal for a forum in the Saudi capital that would bring together political and social forces from southern Yemen. The ministry urged all parties to participate constructively in discussions to develop what it described as a “comprehensive vision” for addressing the long-running southern question through fair and inclusive solutions.
The call followed an appeal earlier in the day by PLC Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, who urged southern leaders and factions to meet in Riyadh under Saudi auspices. According to Yemen’s state-run Saba News Agency, al-Alimi stressed the central importance of southern grievances while warning against unilateral moves or exclusionary approaches that could deepen divisions and fuel violence.
His appeal comes against the backdrop of deadly clashes triggered by a major offensive launched by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful separatist movement, in the eastern provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra. Together, the two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s landmass and include key border areas and energy resources. The escalation has raised alarm in Riyadh, particularly because Hadramout borders Saudi Arabia and holds deep historical and cultural ties to the kingdom, with many Saudi families tracing their roots to the region.
Saudi officials have viewed the STC’s recent advances in Hadramout as a direct threat to Yemen’s territorial integrity and to Saudi national security. While the STC is formally part of the anti-Houthi coalition in the south, it has long advocated for the re-establishment of an independent southern state, a goal that places it at odds with the internationally recognised Yemeni government led by the PLC.
Tensions have been compounded by accusations from Saudi Arabia that its coalition partner, the United Arab Emirates, has been backing and arming the STC. Riyadh fears that the STC’s campaign could splinter Yemen into multiple entities, weakening the anti-Houthi front and destabilising the kingdom’s southern border. The UAE has firmly rejected the allegations, maintaining that its actions are aligned with Saudi security interests and regional stability.
In a separate statement on Saturday, the UAE said it was “deeply concerned” by the escalation in southern Yemen and urged all Yemeni parties to act with restraint. Abu Dhabi called on political actors to prioritise dialogue and wisdom in order to preserve security and prevent further deterioration.
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 with the stated aim of restoring the internationally recognised government and rolling back the advance of the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. Nearly ten years on, the Houthis remain entrenched, while infighting among anti-Houthi factions has intensified, particularly in the south.
On Friday, the STC said that air strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition killed at least 20 people, underscoring how volatile and deadly the current phase of the conflict has become. The strikes followed days of clashes on the ground as rival forces manoeuvred for control of strategic areas.
Later on Friday, the UAE announced that it had completed the withdrawal of all its remaining armed forces personnel from Yemen, a move that some observers interpreted as a potential attempt to ease tensions with Saudi Arabia. The UAE defence ministry said the pullout was in line with an earlier decision to conclude the missions of its counterterrorism units, adding that the process was carried out safely and in coordination with partners.
Despite the announcement, uncertainty continues to surround the STC’s intentions. Amid the turmoil, the group declared that it aims to organise a referendum on independence from northern Yemen within the next two years, a statement that has alarmed the PLC and raised fears of a permanent rupture.
Former Yemeni diplomat and parliamentarian Ali Ahmed al-Amrani dismissed the secession plan as unrealistic and divisive. Speaking in a media interview, he argued that partition does not reflect a national consensus and would fail to address the root causes of Yemen’s crisis, warning that it could lead to prolonged instability and further conflict.
Analysts say the stakes extend far beyond internal Yemeni politics. Hisham Al-Omeisy, a Yemen-focused political and conflict analyst with the European Institute of Peace, cautioned that the fighting in the south could signal the beginning of a particularly dangerous phase of the war. Rival forces, he said, appear determined to redraw the map of control on the ground through violence.
“We are likely to see bloody confrontations in the coming days as factions seek to secure territory and gain the upper hand,” Al-Omeisy warned, describing the situation as a “proxy war within a proxy war”. He added that continued escalation could have serious regional repercussions, drawing in external actors and further complicating efforts to bring Yemen’s long-running conflict to an end.
As Riyadh pushes for talks, the success of a proposed forum will depend on whether Yemen’s fractured southern factions are willing to compromise—and whether regional powers can prevent their rivalries from pushing the country deeper into chaos.
