ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Tensions escalated in Yemen's southeastern oil-rich province of Hadramout after Saudi warplanes carried out airstrikes on forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Friday, amid growing disputes between the Yemeni government and the STC over military deployments and control in southern Yemen.
A security official in Hadramout, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that Saudi Air Force jets bombed several sites belonging to the Hadrami Elite Forces in the Ghayl bin Yamin area near key oil fields.
The official said Saudi warplanes continued to hover over strategic areas of the province following the strikes.
DISPUTES ESCALATE BETWEEN "ALLIES"
The Hadrami Elite Forces were formed by Yemen's government in 2016 under the supervision and support of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. However, the forces' recent deployment in Hadramout under command of the STC has angered the government.
The official said the air raids came one day after Saudi Arabia, a main supporter of the Yemeni government, asked the STC to withdraw its forces from Hadramout, describing the Saudi strikes as "unprecedented." He added that the Hadrami Elite Forces increased their deployments following the strikes.
"No casualties were reported and no military equipment was damaged by the Saudi strikes," the official said, adding that the bombardment appeared to be a "strong warning" to compel the STC to vacate its positions in Hadramout.
However, he said the action fueled anger and resentment among STC fighters who had "spent more than a decade fighting alongside Saudi Arabia against the Houthis."
Meanwhile, hours before the Saudi airstrikes, the Hadrami Elite Forces were ambushed by al-Qaida militants in the same area, leaving two soldiers killed and 12 others injured, according to the official.
An official of the Aden-based STC claimed that it was a "mistake" for Saudi Arabia "to bomb its allies while the Houthis remain strong and in control of Sanaa and northern Yemen."
The official said the STC has "no plan at all" to withdraw its forces from Hadramout, claiming that STC forces were deployed on their "legitimate southern land."
Residents in Hadramout reported hearing loud explosions, while videos circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the targeted military sites.
Saudi Arabia has so far made no official comment on the air bombardment.
A source from Yemen's government told Xinhua that local Yemeni forces, supported by heavy military equipment, have been deployed along a long stretch of the southern Yemeni border with Saudi Arabia.
The source added that Riyadh could "intervene militarily" if the STC insists on maintaining its presence in Hadramout.
Tensions sharply escalated on Dec. 3 when STC forces took control of Hadramout following clashes with pro-government units. The STC later expanded its presence into the eastern province of Al-Mahrah without reported resistance and has since recruited local forces in both provinces.
CALLS FOR WITHDRAWAL AND DE-ESCALATION
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that recent STC troop deployments in two southern Yemeni provinces constituted an "unjustified escalation" that undermined Yemen's interests and complicated efforts to restore stability.
Riyadh announced that a joint Saudi-Emirati military delegation had arrived in Aden, where the Yemeni government is currently seated, to coordinate with the STC on an orderly and timely withdrawal of its forces and the transfer of military camps to other government-affiliated or local forces.
The Yemeni government on the same day welcomed Saudi Arabia's "clear, balanced and responsible stance" toward developments in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah provinces.
It warned that any security or military actions taken outside state authority and without coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the government, or local authorities represent an "unacceptable source of tension" and would place additional burdens on the war-ravaged country.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital Sanaa and large parts of the north, forcing the government to flee to the southern city of Aden and prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 to fight the Houthis.
Formed in 2017, the STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into the PLC in 2022, the group continues to push for southern separation, fueling recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.
The STC has accused previous Yemeni governments of marginalizing the south politically and economically, accusations that Yemeni authorities have repeatedly rejected while stressing the importance of national unity. Enditem
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