Tensions on Yemen allies

SANAA, Yemen, Aug 8, (AP): A senior official in Yemen’s embattled government on Thursday accused a southern separatist leader of “fomenting sedition” after his forces clashed with Yemeni troops near the presidential palace in Aden, as concerns rose about a new front opening up in the country’s devastating civil war.

In a statement carried by the official news agency, Interior Minister Ahmed al-Maisari called on the followers of separatist leader Hani Ben Braik to ignore his calls to overthrow the government, saying “they only aim at engendering war” and undermine the fight against Houthi rebels.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Iran-aligned rebels since 2015 on behalf of the internationally recognized government, which is largely confined to the southern city of Aden. The stalemated war has killed tens of thousands of people and driven the country to the brink of famine.