Yemeni government, Southern Transitional Council discuss Aden troop withdrawal

Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council agreed on implementing the second phase of the Riyadh Agreement which includes the withdrawal of forces in the port city of Aden, according to Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen Mohammed al-Jaber.

The second phase of the agreement will also include taking military and security steps to implement the withdrawal beginning on Friday under the supervision of the Arab Coalition.

An appointment of a governor and director to Aden will also be made under the agreement.

According to the ambassador, the second phase will include the return of all forces that moved from their main sites and camps toward the governorates of Aden, Abyan, and Shabwa since the beginning of August 2019 to their previous positions with all their personnel and weapons, to be replaced by appointed local security forces of the local within 15 days in each governorate from when the implementation begins.

The upcoming stage also includes the collection and transfer of all medium and heavy weapons of various kinds from military and security forces in Aden within the 15-day timeframe determined and supervised by the leadership of the Arab Coalition.

The Yemeni government and the STC signed the “Riyadh Agreement” on November 5, under the auspices of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who officially announced the deal.