JEDDAH: A Saudi-UAE committee arrived in Aden Thursday to oversee the withdrawal of southern separatist troops from positions they seized last week from the government.
The delegation arrived in the temporary Yemeni capital to ensure troops loyal to the Southern Transitional Council leave government institutions, Al Arabiya reported, citing a Yemeni government source.
Yemeni presidential guard forces took over Al-Maasheeq palace after the STC withdrew following calls from the Arab Coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the source said.
The government has ruled out talks with the STC until it hands over to the presidential guard all the positions it captured.
HIGHLIGHT
The Yemeni government has ruled out talks with the Southern Transitional Council until it hands over to the presidential guard all the positions it captured.
The separatists and the government, who are meant to be on the same side in the fight against the Houthis, clashed for several days after tensions overspilled at a commander's funeral.
The separatists seized the palace on Saturday and at least 40 people, including civilians, were killed in the fighting.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Monday urged forces in the city to observe a ceasefire.
The call followed talks in Mina between Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Also Thursday, thousands of Yemenis rallied in Aden in support of the separatists.
South Yemen was an independent country until it merged with the north in 1990.
