In Yemen, southern separatists seize strategic port city

CAIRO — After two days of clashes, the strategic Yemeni port city of Aden appeared to be under the control of southern separatists Tuesday, splintering the Saudibacked coalition fighting Iranian-backed rebels for control of the Middle East’s poorest country.

By Tuesday afternoon, the separatists had seized the area around the presidential palace, home to the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Some news reports suggested that the country’s prime minister was preparing to flee to neighbouring Saudi Arabia to join Hadi, who lives in the kingdom.

The infighting is the latest twist in a three-year-long civil conflict that has pit the northern Houthi rebels, backed by Tehran, against the Hadi government, backed by a coalition of regional powers. Now, that coalition appears to be fraying as the southern Yemeni separatists, supported by United Arab Emirates, rose up Sunday against their former allies loyal to Hadi, who is aligned with Saudi Arabia.

The separatists, known as the Southern Transition Council, are seeking the revival of the independent state of South Yemen, which existed before Yemen was unified in 1990.

Residents told Reuters on Tuesday that separatists had seized the last stronghold of Hadi’s Presidential Protection Forces, engaging in battles using tanks and heavy artillery.