Daijiworld Media Network - Aden
Aden, Jan 3: Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces on Saturday reclaimed Seiyun, the second-largest city in the oil-rich Hadramout province, nearly a month after it fell under the control of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), officials and local residents confirmed.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that army units entered the city and secured all strategic locations after STC fighters pulled out from Seiyun International Airport and other key government installations. The official emphasised that the transition of control took place without any direct ground clashes.
“Our forces now have complete control over the city and its institutions. The STC withdrawal was carried out peacefully, and there was no fighting inside Seiyun,” the official said.
Residents reported a visible deployment of government troops across major roads and public facilities, adding that the overall security situation in the city remained calm.
Confirming the development, Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi, who operates from Riyadh, announced that government forces had taken full control of Seiyun, including the airport and administrative centres. The announcement was aired by Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television.
However, an STC field commander told Xinhua that their forces withdrew after receiving warnings from Saudi authorities, who reportedly threatened airstrikes if STC units did not vacate the airport and nearby government complexes. The commander said the pullback was intended to avoid civilian casualties, noting the proximity of residential areas to the airport.
He added that the withdrawal was temporary, stating that STC forces “reserve the right to resume military operations at a later time.”
The development follows a major military push launched on Friday, when hundreds of government troops advanced toward Hadramout in a bid to expel STC forces and reassert control over the strategically vital province. The operation was backed by Saudi air support, with warplanes conducting multiple airstrikes across the region.
Local sources reported that the escalation led to more than 20 fatalities and dozens of injuries, underscoring the growing human cost of the renewed fighting. While Seiyun has stabilised for now, clashes continue in other parts of Hadramout as both sides vie for dominance.
Yemen has remained engulfed in conflict since 2014, when Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015.
The UAE-backed STC, established in 2017, advocates self-rule and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite being part of the Saudi-led coalition and joining the Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group’s separatist ambitions have repeatedly triggered confrontations with the internationally recognised Yemeni government over territory, authority and resources.