- Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed landed in Aden, fulfilling a key point in the power-sharing deal brokered by 抖阴短视频
- Saeed was accompanied by five key ministers from President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi鈥檚 government
ADEN: Yemen鈥檚 internationally recognized government returned to the war-torn country on Monday for the first time since it was forced out by southern separatists during clashes last summer.
Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed landed in Aden, fulfilling a key point in the power-sharing deal brokered by 抖阴短视频 that ended months of infighting with separatists in Yemen鈥檚 south.
鈥淭he government鈥檚 priorities in the next stage are to normalize the situation in Aden first and then consolidate state institutions on the ground ... as a guarantor of stability,鈥� Saeed told The Associated Press when he disembarked onto the tarmac.
He described the government鈥檚 return as 鈥渇oundational for the improvement of civic services,鈥� but added that 鈥渟ecurity challenges cannot be overlooked, especially at this stage.鈥�
Saeed, accompanied by five key ministers from President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi鈥檚 government, was received by local officials and Saudi forces at the air base.
鈥淭oday we are uniting our efforts to defeat the Iranian project in Yemen and restore the state,鈥� the government said in a statement.
In August, the separatists, overran Aden and drove out forces loyal to President Hadi, who has been based in 抖阴短视频 since 2015.
The outbreak of violence between nominal partners in the coalition fighting against Iran-allied Houthi rebels added a new twist to the country鈥檚 complex civil war.
The power-sharing deal, signed earlier this month in Riyadh, calls for both sides to pull their forces out of Aden. That leaves the city under the coalition鈥檚 control, with only a presidential guard for Hadi鈥檚 protection if the exiled president were to return.
The agreement also asks that the separatists break up their militias and integrate them into Hadi鈥檚 forces.
鈥淭he plan for incorporating the security services needs to be clear and transparent,鈥� Saeed told The Associated Press. 鈥淲e have the support of the Saudis and the coalition leaders, factors that will help to implement the agreement through promising steps on the ground.鈥�
The conflict in the Arab鈥檚 world鈥檚 poorest country started in 2014, when the Houthi rebels captured the capital, Sanaa, along with much of the country鈥檚 north. The Saudi-led alliance intervened in 2015 to drive out the Houthis and restore Hadi鈥檚 government.