RIYADH: Saudi Arabia called for the withdrawal of Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces from Hadramaut and Al-Mahra, as a high-level delegation visiting the region on Tuesday announced a new arrangement to secure uninterrupted oil production in the PetroMasila fields.
Major General Mohammed Al-Qahtani, heading the Saudi delegation, said the Kingdom remains committed to de-escalation in Hadramaut and to preventing the governorate from being drawn into a new cycle of conflict.
He said that restoring the previous security setup is essential to safeguarding stability, Yemen's state news agency SABA reported.
Qahtani announced that Saudi officials, local authorities and the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance had reached a preliminary agreement to keep PetroMasila facilities neutral and operational.
Under the deal, the forces currently controlling the oil fields will withdraw and be replaced by Hadrami units operating under the direct supervision of the governorate’s local authority.
The move aims to protect oil infrastructure from political tensions and ensure that production continues without disruption.
The Saudi delegation arrived in the Wadi and Desert districts of Hadramaut after holding earlier meetings in Mukalla and other coastal areas.
They were received by Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi, deputy governors, tribal sheikhs and other prominent figures from across the region.
“Hadramaut is a foundation of stability, not an arena for conflict,” Al-Qahtani said, emphasizing that the governorate’s affairs must be managed by qualified local institutions operating within the official state framework.
He added that the delegation’s visit yielded a broader set of measures aimed at reinforcing security, stability, and de-escalation with all parties, including the STC. Al-Qahtani also reiterated that the Southern issue remains central to any future political settlement.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions in southern Yemen. A Yemeni government official said the country’s airspace was briefly closed on Monday after STC forces moved to seize control of an oil-rich area in Hadramaut, a development that reflects widening fractures within the anti-Houthi coalition.