RIYADH: Government troops and separatist forces continued to redeploy their troops in southern Yemen on Sunday under a Saudi brokered-agreement. 

The Riyadh Agreement was agreed last year to ease tensions in southern Yemen between troops loyal to the internationally recognised government and the Southern Transitional Council. The two sides are part of a coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthis.

Last week, the coalition said lake parts of the deal would tart to be implemented, including redeploying forces and announcing a new government.

On Sunday, the coalition gave an update on progress on the military aspect of the agreement. 

The process of separating the forces in Abyan and their exit from Aden was proceeding with “discipline and commitment” for a fourth day.

The coalition also said it “appreciates the commitment of the legitimate Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in implementing the military aspect.”

The two sides started withdrawing their forces on Friday from a flashpoint in the southern province of Abyan, military officers from both sides said.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, said the Riyadh Agreement would “fulfill peace, security and stability,” and the Yemeni people would “reap the fruits” of the agreement.

Meanwhile, the head of the UN’s mission to support a plan to halt fighting with the Iran-backed Houthis in the main battleground port of Hodeidah called for both sides to renew their commitment to the deal.

Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee Lt. Gen. (Ret) Abhijit Guha said: “There has been important progress but challenges persist, including periodic violence that undermines the spirit of the Hodeidah agreement.”

He was speaking two years after the government and the Houthi militia signed the Stockholm Agreement.