Hopes of starting a dialogue between rival factions in Yemen's internationally recognised government received a setback on Sunday when the presidency's office accused the Southern Transitional Council of restricting access to the port city of Aden.
A statement issued by the office of Rashad Al Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said forces affiliated with the STC were “restricting the movement of citizens coming from several governorates to the temporary capital Aden and preventing them from passing through the main entrances of the city”.
It said it had also received reports of a campaign of arrests in the city. It vowed to take “all necessary measures to protect civilians, ensure freedom of movement, maintain social peace and uphold the rule of law”.
The STC denied the accusations, which came a day after it agreed to Mr Al Alimi's proposal for talks hosted by Saudi Arabia to resolve differences between the former partners in government. They are also allies against Houthi rebels who seized much of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014.
The group, which is seeking to restore an independent southern state, told Reuters the claims were a complete distortion of the facts and that the situation in Aden was stable.
Tension within the government flared after the STC took control of Hadhramaut and Mahra provinces from other pro-government forces last month, effectively consolidating its grip over much of southern Yemen.
The STC forces were forced to retreat following battles over the past week, with rival groups announcing on Saturday that they had taken the port city of Mukalla in Hadhramaut province.
A senior government official said its forces would continue to advance towards Aden and that any dialogue would begin only when Aden was secured.
The Saudi government said the proposed dialogue between the rivals was aimed at developing a comprehensive vision for “just solutions” to the southern issue that “fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the southern people”.
It did not reveal who would be invited or when the conference would take place.
Yemen’s unification in 1990 brought together two states whose divisions were never fully resolved. The north emerged from a 1962 uprising, while Britain’s 1967 withdrawal from Aden shaped the south.
