Yemeni officials are reporting that Saudi Arabia is increasing its
military presence across South Yemen this week, with the arrival of at
least 15 military transport aircraft in Aden, and additional ground
troops arriving by land in other southern provinces.
The addition of Saudi troops to Aden is unsurprising, as a settlement
between the government and the South Yemen separatists intended to
temporarily leave the city under Saudi control, with a new unity force
of Saudi-backed and UAE-backed militias to take over at some future
date.
Under this deal, the government would regain official control of Aden,
but give the separatists increased representation. The separatists had
previously controlled the southern capital, and fought over nearby
areas.
The deployment of more Saudi troops in the surrounding area may
represent an intention by the Saudis to ensure they can keep control of
South Yemen militarily if the power-sharing deal does not hold, though
so far it is unclear if there are any serious problems to that end.
Saudi Arabia to Boost Military Presence in Aden as UAE Pulls Back
Saudi troops arrive in several provinces
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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