In an immediate statement, four members of the Presidential Council condemned President Al-Alimi's “unilateral decision,” according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Yemen is effectively split between two councils: the internationally recognized Presidential Council, led by President Al-Alimi, and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), headed by Aidarus Al-Zubaidi, which partially governs southern Yemen while operating under the Presidential Council’s supervision.
The Presidential Council includes members from various factions, including former loyalists of the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh, tribal leaders, and Sunni Islamist affiliates, all of whom oppose the Houthi movement, which controls most of northern Yemen.
A statement by four Presidential Council members, including Al-Zubaidi, said, “We categorically reject any unilateral decisions that drag Yemen into new conflicts or target its regional allies,” referring to the UAE, the STC’s main backer, according to AFP.
The statement criticized attempts to “demonize” the UAE’s role, asserting that the country “has been and remains a key partner in confronting the Houthi project” and adding that such attempts “serve only the enemies of Yemen.”
A member of the Presidential Council told Sky News Arabia that “there was no consensus on the UAE forces leaving Yemen.”
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