UAE calls for restraint amid rapidly moving Yemen crisis

The United Arab Emirates said on Saturday it was deeply concerned by ongoing escalation in Yemen after Saudi-backed government forces swept into areas seized last month by UAE-backed southern separatists seeking independence.



The rapidly moving crisis in Yemen has opened a major feud between the two Gulf powers and fractured the coalition of forces , headed by the internationally recognised government, who are fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement.



The UAE statement said Yemenis should exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue to safeguard security and stability.



It came hours after the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced its intention to hold a referendum on independence in two years as its forces were ejected from important areas they suddenly seized last month.



Saudi-backed forces said on Friday they had taken control of key locations in Hadramout, a large province with stretches of desert along the Saudi border, and on Saturday witnesses said they had entered parts of the region's capital Mukalla.



Yemen, split for a decade between warring regions, sits at a highly strategic location between the world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia and the Bab al-Mandeb strait that guards the vital sea route between Europe and Asia.