Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has called for Yemen’s southern factions to attend a “dialogue” in Riyadh.
The move follows a dramatic turn of events in the south that brought Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—longtime allies in the Yemen war—into an unprecedented direct confrontation.
While both Gulf powers have intervened on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, their alliance has fractured, leading them to back rival groups on the ground.
One UAE-backed faction is now pushing to declare an independent state in southern Yemen.
Tensions escalated on Friday when that faction declared a “war” had begun, accusing Saudi-backed ground forces of launching an attack alongside strikes by the Saudi air force.
By James Kisoo
