Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 others in eastern Yemen on Friday after warplanes attacked camps of UAE-backed southern separatists, the group’s officials said.The attacks hit a military camp in the Al-Khasah area of Hadramout province, said Mohammed Abdulmalik, chairman of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Wadi Hadramaut and the Hadramout Desert, as quoted by AFP news agency. He said seven airstrikes had hit the site and separatist forces had also repelled a ground advance.The escalation comes amid growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose interests in Yemen are increasingly divided. According to the Associated Press news agency, Saudi warplanes have targeted positions of the STC, an Abu Dhabi-backed separatist group, as Riyadh tries to regain control of camps and areas in Hadramout, a strategic province on the border with Saudi Arabia.On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes on Mukalla, a port city in southern Yemen. These attacks followed the arrival of two ships from the United Arab Emirates’ port of Fujairah. Saudi Arabia claims these ships unloaded weapons and armored vehicles destined for the STC. Riyadh then described the shipments as an “imminent threat” to its national security and warned that the UAE’s actions were “extremely dangerous.” A separatist leader quoted by AP said the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces had advanced toward the STC camps, sparking the latest clashes. The STC refused to withdraw from the positions, which apparently led to the airstrikes. Despite the violence, Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout, who was appointed by Yemen’s internationally recognized government to lead Saudi-backed forces in the province, described the operation as “peaceful.”“This operation is not a declaration of war and is not aimed at escalation,” al-Khanbashi said in a speech broadcast on state media. He said the move was a “responsible preventive measure” aimed at withdrawing weapons and preventing chaos, adding that the camps could otherwise be used to undermine security in Hadramout.Saudi Arabia has called for the withdrawal of STC troops from Hadramout and neighboring Mahra province as part of de-escalation efforts. However, the separatists have so far refused to hand over their camps or weapons, AP reported.The political tensions also led to diplomatic and aviation disputes. The Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, accused STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi of blocking the landing of a Saudi mediator delegation in Aden despite prior coordination. In a post onMeanwhile, in line with the STC, Yemen’s Ministry of Transport said that Saudi Arabia had issued new requirements that would force flights to and from Aden Airport to be inspected in Jeddah and condemned the move. A ministry spokesman quoted by AP said flights between Aden and the United Arab Emirates had been suspended until the measures were lifted. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the decision.
