Southern Yemen separatists want Hadi govt overthrown

T-Mag Sunday 21/January/2018 20:58 PM
By: Times News Service
Southern Yemen separatists want Hadi govt overthrown

Aden: Southern Yemeni separatists declared a state of emergency in the port city of Aden on Sunday and vowed to overthrow the internationally recognised government, the group said, in a move that puts the two allies on a collision course.
The announcement underscores rising tensions between southern separatists and President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government over control of the southern half of Yemen.
Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr, who has been struggling to assert his government's control over southern Yemen, has announced the first state budget since 2014.
At a meeting in Aden on Sunday, the Southern Transitional Council accused bin Daghr's government of starving Yemenis and pushing the impoverished country to the verge of famine.
"The Southern Resistance Forces (SRF) declare a state of emergency in Aden and announce that it has begun the process of overthrowing the legitimate government and replacing it with a cabinet of technocrats," the statement issued after the meeting said.
The statement did not give any details on what it intends to do to topple the government, but it said it was giving Hadi a week to comply and dismiss his cabinet before starting the process.
The SRF will become the core of a new force that will rebuild security in southern Yemen and military institutions, the statement said.
It added that it banned military forces and officials from northern Yemen, including members of Hadi's government, in southern provinces.
The new spat could jeopardise a rare opportunity offered by the killing of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh last month.
Southern forces have previously clashed with Hadi supporters over control of strategic areas, including Aden airport and oil facilities.