Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone conversations on Friday with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the escalating crisis in Yemen. The talks, confirmed by Turkish diplomatic sources, focused on the latest developments in the war-torn country.
Calls with key Gulf partners
Minister Fidan spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Details of the discussions were not immediately disclosed, but they are understood to have centered on the volatile situation in southern Yemen and its regional implications.

Context of a major southern Yemen escalation
The diplomatic outreach follows a significant military escalation in early December when forces of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized control of the vast provinces of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. These two regions constitute nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share a long border with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi-UAE rift over the STC’s actions
This week, Saudi Arabia publicly accused the UAE of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along its southern frontier, a charge Abu Dhabi has denied. The STC, which seeks independence for southern Yemen, claims historical marginalization by central governments, a stance rejected by Yemen’s internationally recognized authorities who insist on preserving national unity.

– Yenişafak English