United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning Wednesday against unilateral actions within Yemen, urging all involved parties to prioritize dialogue as the primary means of resolving the ongoing crisis. His statement comes amid concerns over the expansion of control by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in the governorates of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra in eastern Yemen.
Speaking to reporters following a closed-door session of the Security Council on the situation in Yemen, Guterres emphasized the critical need for de-escalation and restraint from all sides. He reiterated the importance of resolving the Yemeni crisis through constructive dialogue, underscoring the necessity of protecting Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Yemen urgently requires a sustainable political settlement that addresses the aspirations of all Yemenis and brings an end to this devastating conflict,” Guterres stated. He cautioned that “unilateral actions will not pave the way for peace but rather increase the risk of wider escalation and further fragmentation.”
The Secretary-General also highlighted the significant challenges facing UN operations in areas controlled by the Houthi group. Despite these difficulties, he reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to continuing the provision of life-saving humanitarian support to millions of Yemenis in need.
Guterres condemned the Houthi’s trial of UN employees, calling for their immediate release and asserting that their detention is unjust and the charges against them should be dropped.
These warnings from the UN Secretary-General follow calls from Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, urging the international community to adopt a unified stance and exert public pressure for the withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramaut and Al-Mahra. According to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Al-Alimi, during a meeting with ambassadors of countries sponsoring the political process, cautioned against the repercussions of unilateral actions taken by the STC, stating that these steps “represent a violation of the references of the transitional phase, and an undermining of the legitimacy of the government and the stability of the political process.”
Adding to the tensions, the Hadramaut Tribal Alliance recently accused STC forces of storming hospitals in Al-Mukalla and abducting wounded soldiers from the “Hadramaut Protection Forces” who were receiving treatment. This incident occurred shortly after an attack launched by STC forces on positions held by the First Military Region.
