Saudi-Backed Council Declares Document to Spare Hadramout Conflict

The Hadramout National Council (HNC) declared Tuesday a political document to "spare Hadramout internal divides and tensions" amidst the continued attempts of the UAE-backed southern separatists to take over the province.

The HNC also announced its presidium, which consists of 23 members representing the community in Hadhramout. The Council's declared document presented its vision and principles, stressing that the security and stability of Hadhramout are its prime goals.

The formation of the Council was a Saudi-backed move intended to counter the separatists' agenda in Hadhramout. The Council's documents presented seven principles, and the first principle says, "The unity of Hadhramaut and the right of its people to manage their economic, political, and security affairs will remain the highest priority for the Hadhramout components and forces."

The Council emphasized commitment to the goals of the Saudi-led Arab coalition to support the UN-recognized government, particularly power transfer, and the impartiality of the Chairman and members of the Presidential Leadership Council and its supporting bodies.

Over the past years, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) took over southern provinces, except for Hadhramout and Al-Mahara. The UAE-backed STC has threatened to take over Hadhramout, which is now under the control of the Saudi-backed government. But it has failed so far to bring the entire province under its control.

The UAE has been financially backing military units in South Yemen since it participated in the Saudi-led Arab coalition, which began a military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen in 2015.

However, the Emirates has begun to change its policy in dealing with the military units it supports in South Yemen, including Hadhramout. Military sources told Sheba Intelligence the  Emirates would stop allocating budgets for Yemeni military units that had been receiving financial support without the approval of the UN-recognized government in Yemen.

According to the sources, the UAE would suspend the financial support to  Hadhrami Elite Forces, Shabwah Elite Forces, the Security Belt Forces in Aden, and the National Resistance Forces on the West Coast.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE vie for influence in Yemen's south, a region of significant geostrategic importance for both states.

Last month, informed sources told Sheba Intelligence the UAE has completed the establishment of a new military force of an ideological nature, and the force is mainly composed of Alawite Sufi families under the name (Ahbab Allah). The mission of this force is to deploy in Hadhramaut.