Yemeni separatists to attend Saudi talks after losing key southern sites

"Over the last two days, STC troops have withdrawn from the city of Mukalla, the key eastern port and capital of Hadramout, which Saudi Arabia bombed last week in a limited coalition operation targeting cargo and weapons. Civilian life has started to return to normal, local sources told Al Jazeera Arabic. Shops have opened their doors, while traffic has gradually picked up again in city streets."

"The fractured country has seen soaring tensions since early December, when STC forces took over Hadramout and al-Mahra. The two provinces make up nearly half of Yemen's territory and share a border with Saudi Arabia. Last week's new round of fighting saw Yemen's Saudi-backed Homeland Shield forces achieve record success in clawing back all military and security positions, said Rashad al-Alimi, head of the internationally recognised government's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC)."

"The forum, which comes after government forces retook two governorates, could help end the conflict with separatists. By Friday, the Yemeni government said it had asked Saudi Arabia to host talks with separatists. The STC welcomed the offer, though the timing and details of the talks remain unclear. At least 80 STC fighters had been killed as of Sunday, according to an STC official, while another 152 were wounded and 130 were taken captive."

Yemeni government troops backed by Saudi Arabia completed the handover of all military sites in Hadramout and al-Mahra after reclaiming them from the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC). An STC delegation led by Aidarous al-Zubaidi is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia for a peace forum aimed at addressing the separatist conflict. STC forces withdrew from Mukalla following limited Saudi coalition strikes, and civilian life in the city has begun to resume. The two provinces constitute nearly half of Yemen's territory and border Saudi Arabia. The government requested Saudi-hosted talks, which the STC welcomed. Reported STC casualties include at least 80 killed, 152 wounded, and 130 captured.

Read at www.aljazeera.com