Yemeni southern separatists backed by the UAE take port of Aden

(August 12)Aden was declared the interim capital of Yemen by the Saudi-backed government of Mansour Hadi. However, Hadi is in Saudi Arabia because of the security situation. Now Aden has been taken over by southern separatists backed by the UAE.

Aden was capital of the former South Yemen

Although the separatists with the UAE were united with the Saudis in fighting the Houthi rebels backed by Iran who control the north including the former capital Sanaa, their aims are opposed. The Saudis want a unified Yemen with Hadi as president while the separatists want an independent state in the south.

The capture of Aden

Last week protesters loyal to the southern separatists seized the presidential palace. Then, over the weekend after clashes at the palace the separatist forces moved against military camps loyal to the Saudi-backed government. While the Hadi government and the Saudis claimed a coup was taking place, nevertheless forces loyal to the separatists control Aden for now.

The alliance between the Saudis and the Southern Separatists probably doomed

The support for the Hadi government and the Saudis by the Southern Separatists and the UAE is no doubt ended for good. It has always been clear that the separatists wanted a separate country but the Hadi government might have given them some autonomy if the Houthis were defeated.. The separatists appear to be making their move to establish independence before the defeat of the Houthis. Perhaps there could be a separate peace deal with the Houthis or even an agreement to help them against the Saudis if the Houthis agree to an independent south. However, a recent article notes: "Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince visited Saudi Arabia on Monday and called for dialogue to resolve tensions in Yemen, after deadly clashes there between government loyalists and UAE-backed forces." So perhaps the two groups can settle their differences. However it is unlikely that the Southerners will yield control of Aden.

[b]South Yemen[/b]

[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Yemen t=_blank]Wikipedia describes South Yemen: "South Yemen, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (Arabic: جمهورية اليمن الديمقراطية الشعبية‎ Jumhūriyat al-Yaman ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah ash-Sha'bīyah), was a country that existed from 1967 to 1990 as a state in the Middle East in the southern and eastern provinces of the present-day Republic of Yemen, including the island of Socotra. It was also referred to as Democratic Yemen or Yemen (Aden)."

The flags seen in the appended video are those of South Yemen not Yemen itself.

Previously published  in the Digital Journal