STC Vice President: Southern Forces Won’t Unite Under Saudi Coalition

Vice president of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) Faraj Al-Bahsani on Sunday said that southern forces would not agree to unite under the command of a Saudi-led coalition as announced the day before by the head of the country’s ruling council.

Rashad al-Alimi, the leader of the Presidential Leadership Council, which helms Yemen’s internationally recognized government, had said that all forces in the south would operate under a committee directed by the Saudi-led coalition after it rolled back a land grab by the separatists last month.

“It will be difficult to unify forces, as announced by al-Alimi, under one banner led by the coalition,” Bahsani told AFP.

“The southern forces, whether affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council, the forces in Hadramawt, or any other force, will not accept this.” (AFP)