RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday said that recent military movements in the Yemeni governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra carried out by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) were conducted unilaterally and without coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council or the coalition leadership.

“These movements resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of all segments of Yemeni people, as well as the Southern cause and the coalition’s efforts,” read a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency.

The statement said Saudi Arabia has always prioritized preserving the unity of Yemen throughout recent developments, and that the Kingdom has spared no effort to reach peaceful solutions to resolve the situation in both governorates.

In this context, “the Kingdom worked with the brotherly United Arab Emirates, the president of the Presidential Leadership Council and the brotherly Yemeni government to contain the situation.

“A joint military team was sent from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to put the necessary arrangements in place with the Southern Transitional Council in Aden. These arrangements were made to ensure the return of the Southern Transitional Council forces to their previous positions outside the two governorates and hand over the camps in those areas to the Nation Shield Forces and the local authorities, in accordance with organized procedures under the supervision of the coalition forces.”

The statement said that “these efforts remain in progress to restore the situation to its previous state.”

Saudi Arabia also said it “hopes public interest will prevail through ending the escalation by the Southern Transitional Council and the withdrawal of its forces from the two governorates in an urgent and orderly manner.”

It added: “The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilize security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences.”