Qatar’s emir speaks with Emirati, Saudi leaders amid Yemen tension

By Saber Ghanem Ibrahim Eid and Rania Abushamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia on Thursday amid tensions between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh over the situation in Yemen.

Tamim exchanged views over the phone with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on developments in the region and issues of mutual concern, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

The emir also spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the latest regional and international developments of mutual concern and bilateral relations, the Qatari state news agency QNA said.

The contacts came two days after Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of pushing the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen to carry out military operations along the kingdom’s southern border. The UAE rejected what it called “allegations” and stressed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security.

Tension escalated in southern Yemen last month after the STC forces captured Hadramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen after clashes with government forces. The two governorates together make up nearly half of Yemen’s land area.

On Tuesday, Yemen’s presidential council cancelled a joint defense agreement with the UAE and ordered all Emirati forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours and declared a 90-day state of emergency, citing what he described as “attempts to divide the country.”

The STC repeatedly claims that successive governments have politically and economically marginalized southern regions and calls for their separation from the north — claims rejected by the Yemeni authorities, as they insist on preserving the country’s territorial unity.