Saudi-Backed Yemeni Government Recaptures Cities from Southern Separatists

Mukalla, Yemen, Jan 5, 2026 — Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government has reclaimed several key cities in the country’s south from the United Arab Emirates–supported Southern Transitional Council (STC), officials said on Sunday, marking a major shift in the balance of power in the region.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said government-aligned Homeland Shield forces had successfully regained control of the strategic provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, both of which border Saudi Arabia. The developments were reported by Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera.
According to Yemeni government sources, all districts of Hadramout — Yemen’s largest governorate by area — are now under government control. In neighboring Al-Mahra, Mohammed Omar Suwailam, director general of the province’s youth department, told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that Homeland Shield forces had taken over all nine districts after STC fighters withdrew.
An STC official told France’s AFP news agency that at least 80 STC fighters were killed in clashes with Saudi-backed forces since Friday. The official added that 152 fighters were wounded and 130 others were detained.
Another STC military official said Saudi warplanes carried out heavy airstrikes on an STC camp in the Barshid area west of Mukalla. Despite the escalation, the STC said it welcomed Saudi-mediated dialogue proposals to ease tensions.
Yemen has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in recent weeks. In early December, STC forces seized control of Hadramout and Al-Mahra — provinces that together make up nearly half of Yemen’s territory and hold significant strategic importance due to their proximity to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, limited flights have resumed at Aden International Airport after a temporary shutdown, though the government and the STC have traded blame over the disruption. The US Embassy in Yemen also said it had received reports that flights to and from the Indian Ocean island of Socotra had been suspended or diverted.