ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), said on Thursday that the successful handover of military camps in southern Yemen marked a "significant turning point" in efforts to restore the authority of state institutions and prevent the militarization of political life.
According to the state-run Saba news agency, al-Alimi made the remarks during a meeting in Riyadh with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, who briefed him on recent developments and coordinated international efforts aimed at reviving the peace process.
The meeting also addressed tensions in eastern Yemen following what al-Alimi described as "unilateral actions" by the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
Al-Alimi said that the handover of camps in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah was carried out "successfully and peacefully," in coordination with local authorities and with full support from the Saudi-led coalition.
He added that the process advanced smoothly toward the southern port city of Aden under a coordinated plan.
He also noted that extending state authority in the liberated areas would help facilitate humanitarian access, ease restrictions on relief operations, and improve the provision of basic goods and services.
In a statement, Grundberg said that his meetings with al-Alimi and senior Yemeni officials focused on recent developments and their wider implications. He stressed that al-Alimi's call for dialogue, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, offered "a timely opportunity to reduce tensions, address long-standing grievances through political means, and move discussions toward stabilization."
Last week, airstrikes and ground operations by the Saudi-led coalition forced STC forces to withdraw from the oil-rich Hadramout and Al-Mahrah provinces, which they had seized from Saudi-backed government forces in December.
Formed in 2017 and allegedly backed by the United Arab Emirates, the STC seeks southern Yemen's self-determination and eventual independence. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling PLC in 2022, the group continues to push for sovereignty for the south, fuelling recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources. ■
