[30/12/2025 02:07]

RIYADH - SABA
His Excellency (HE) President Dr. Rashad a-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), affirmed that the state is determined to protect civilians, uphold its legal standing and maintain unity in its military and security decisions, warning of the danger posed by the escalation of the South Transitional Council (STC) in Hadramout and al-Mahra governorates and the involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in supporting the rebellion and undermining state institutions.

In a statement to the Yemeni people, HE said that the recent developments in the eastern governorates, along with the serious violations against civilians, come at a time Yemen is engaged in its fateful battle against the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militias and is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.

He reassured the fellow citizens in the southern governorates that their just cause has always been and remains at the heart of the state's project and that their political, economic and administrative rights are fully protected within the framework of the transitional phase, ensuring a responsible partnership that preserves dignity and establishes lasting stability, while warning against monopolizing the representation of the southern cause or exploiting it to achieve illegitimate political objectives.

The President made it clear that in his constitutional position as the Commander-in-Chief, he had at the time directed to prevent any military or security movements outside the framework of the state or without explicit orders from the higher leadership, out of a concern to avoid bloodshed and prevent slipping into internal clashes. However, those directives were ignored and the formations affiliated with the STC with their unilateral movements went on rebelling against the legitimate state institutions.

The President noted that the state has achieved in recent years with the support of brothers and friends tangible achievements in fighting terrorism, including dismantling terrorist cells, cutting off their funding sources and securing cities and vital passages, alongside significant successes in combating arms and drug smuggling, affirming that combating terrorism is a sovereign decision exercised by the relevant state institutions and cannot be used as a pretext to justify escalation.

The Chairman of the PLC confirmed that the repositioning measures in Hadhramaut Valley were in their final stages as part of a deployment plan for the Nation Shield forces, approved by the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff and ratified by HE in a way that ensures security and stability without the need for any military escalation.

He added that the headship of the state has been very keen to prioritize political solutions, therefore we ordered creating a high-level communication committee from the state leadership and political components to contain the escalation and open channels of dialogue; however, these efforts were met with obstruction and insistence on pursuing the path of escalation, which confirmed that the problem was not a lack of solutions, but rather their obstruction.

The Chairman of the PLC reiterated his call to the leadership of the STC to exercise reason, prioritize the national interest of the Yemeni people and accelerate the withdrawal of its forces from Hadhramaut and al-Mahra governorates unconditionally, stating that the continuation of this escalation has led to the squandering of political, economic and developmental gains and has exacerbated the suffering of citizens.

President al-Alimi also restated that the state will firmly confront any rebellion against its institutions in accordance with the constitution, the law and international legitimacy resolutions, including lifting any political cover for perpetrators of violations, emphasizing that the blood of Yemenis is a red line that will not be tolerated.

HE highly praised the sincere fraternal role that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plays in supporting Yemen and its constitutional legitimacy and its leadership efforts to de-escalate, based on shared interests and challenges, stressing that this support will remain a matter of loyalty and appreciation in the national memory.

HE expressed deep regret over the increasing role of the UAE in supporting the rebellion of the STC, as stated in the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in their statement regarding shipments of weapons and military equipment that arrived at al-Mukalla port without authorization, which included evidence of the UAE's involvement in supporting military escalation, undermining state authority and threatening the unity of the Republic of Yemen and the safety of its territories.

The President concluded his statement saying that Yemen can no longer bear opening new fronts of attrition and that the path to salvation lies in a state of equal citizenship, the rule of law, partnership in power and wealth, peace and respect for the principles of good neighborliness.

---