Saudi-backed Yemeni forces retake Seiyun city from STC
Aden: Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces on Saturday retook Seiyun, the second-largest city in Yemen’s southeastern oil-rich province of Hadramout, about a month after it was seized by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), according to a government military source and local residents.
The local government official, speaking to Xinhua news agency on condition of anonymity, said government troops entered the city and secured full control following the withdrawal of STC forces from Seiyun’s airport and other key state institutions.
The official noted that the takeover occurred without armed confrontations, stressing that the withdrawal of the STC forces was carried out peacefully.
“Our military units are now in full control of the city and all its state institutions, and there has been no fighting on the ground,” the official said.
Local residents confirmed that government forces were deployed across major streets and government facilities, while security conditions in the city remained stable.
In a related development, Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi, who is based in Riyadh, announced that government forces had taken control of the entire city of Seiyun, including the international airport and key state institutions, reported the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite TV channel.
Meanwhile, an on-ground field commander from the STC forces told Xinhua that their units had withdrawn from Seiyun International Airport and the government compound after receiving warnings from Saudi Arabia, threatening airstrikes if they did not pull back.
The STC commander said the withdrawal was temporary and aimed at preventing damage, noting that residential neighborhoods are located close to the airport. He added that “STC forces reserve the right to resume military operations at a later stage.”
On Friday, hundreds of Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops advanced toward Hadramout in a large-scale military operation aimed at expelling forces loyal to the STC and reasserting government control over the strategic region.
Saudi warplanes intensified airstrikes on multiple locations across the province in support of the advancing government forces. The escalation resulted in heavy casualties, with more than 20 people killed and dozens of others injured, according to local sources.
Clashes between the two sides have continued to intensify in other areas, with fighting still ongoing as both government forces and the STC seek to expand their influence in Hadramout.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and large swathes of the north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015.
Formed in 2017, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-sponsored STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen’s ruling Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.
