Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced on Sunday that it had restored control over Hadramout province, following advances by forces loyal to the government in eastern and southern areas of the country.
After the announcement, Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khnbashi declared the start of administrative operations for the province from the city of Seiyun. He stated that forces affiliated with the “National Shield" had taken control of Riyan Airport in Mukalla, noting that security units had begun securing the facility after confronting and eliminating the remaining pockets of resistance in the airport area.
National Shield forces entered Mukalla, Riyan Airport, and coastal areas on Sunday, while also beginning to receive heavy weapons from most Southern Transitional Council-affiliated units in Al-Mahra. Earlier, the Second Military Region in Hadramout reported that Mukalla and its surrounding areas, along with military and civilian installations, had been secured.
The media center of the Second Military Region confirmed that local elite units, Hadramout Protection forces, and National Shield troops were deployed to safeguard key facilities, urging residents to avoid military sites and ignore rumors in order to maintain stability.
Field sources reported that National Shield forces had completed securing cities in Wadi Hadramout, including Seiyun and vital installations, and were pursuing remaining armed elements linked to the Southern Transitional Council in surrounding areas and along the Seiyun-Mukalla road.
According to officials, senior Southern Transitional Council figures in Hadramout withdrew from positions near Al-Adwas camp before being surrounded. National Shield forces later allowed them to leave the province after confiscating heavy weapons and equipment, calling on remaining STC-affiliated units to avoid escalation and prioritize public interests.
The government also said it had taken control of Al-Mahra province and was in the process of securing it, including the ports of Al-Ghaydah and Nishtun, the presidential palace, the central prison, and entry and exit points to the province.
Separately, Yemen’s Saudi-backed government accused the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council on Sunday of restricting access to the port city of Aden, warning it would take further steps after regaining territory in the east. The STC denied the allegations, saying conditions in Aden were stable.
The accusations underscore continued tensions between the two sides despite Saudi Arabia’s proposal to host a dialogue among southern factions. Government officials said any talks would follow the restoration of security in Aden, which has served as the main seat of power outside Houthi-controlled areas since 2015.
The government requested Saudi mediation late last week, a move welcomed by the STC, as both sides signaled cautious openness to negotiations following recent clashes and shifting control on the ground.
The current fighting in Yemen stems from renewed clashes between the internationally recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council, which escalated last month after separatist forces seized areas in the south. While both sides are formally aligned against the Iran-backed Houthi movement that has controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014, tensions between them have repeatedly erupted into open conflict. Recent government advances in eastern provinces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have shifted control on the ground and prompted new accusations, even as regional mediation efforts seek to prevent further escalation.