Aden (South24)

A senior political source told South24 Center on Saturday (December 6) that the Saudi forces stationed at the Ma’ashiq Presidential Palace in Aden have fully withdrawn and departed for Riyadh.

“Saudi Arabia had transported its military equipment through Aden International Airport”, he said, noting that among the departing forces were Sudanese troops who had been part of the ‘Presidential Protection Forces,’ which were responsible for safeguarding Yemeni officials.

The source added that the “Storm Forces” (Al-Asifa), affiliated with the Southern forces, have taken control of the presidential palace. This came just hours after the Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi left for Riyadh. Local reports suggested that his departure may be final amid the rising tensions in eastern of South Yemen.

The source also confirmed the withdrawal of Saudi forces from Mayun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saudi forces have also withdrawn from the city of Seiyun, which Southern forces entered last Thursday following limited clashes that resulted in the ousting of the First Military District forces, previously affiliated nominally with the internationally recognized government.

According to a government source quoted by the German Press Agency (dpa), the withdrawal marks the end of Saudi Arabia’s direct security presence at the presidential palace in Aden, where it had played a protective role for years.

The government source suggested that “the Saudis believe their direct military presence is no longer necessary, especially after Riyadh completed the training and arming of local Yemeni forces, such as the Nation Shield Forces.”

In recent days, Saudi Arabia sponsored an agreement to de-escalate tensions in Hadramout and called for strengthening security in the governorate. At the same time, it urged the withdrawal of forces arriving from outside Hadramout.

Nevertheless, Riyadh deployed units from the Saudi-backed Nation Shield Forces to secure the main international highway linking Hadramout and Marib along their southern border, in addition to the airport in Al-Ghaydah, Al-Mahrah.

Saudi Arabia has maintained a presence in Aden and southern Yemeni regions since 2015, when it launched Operation “Decisive Storm” alongside several countries to counter the Houthis.

However, senior Yemeni officials - including Presidential Leadership Council member Tariq Saleh and Sultan Al-Aradah - called for focusing and mobilizing government forces in northern areas toward confronting “Houthi militias.”

During a meeting with commanders of his security units, the “National Resistance Forces” on Yemen’s West Coast, Tariq Saleh said that securing the operational theater from Lahj to Al-Mahrah, in coordination with a strong ally - referring to the STC - aims to prepare “for an upcoming battle with the Houthis.”

On Sunday, additional units of the Southern Military Police arrived in Al-Mahrah and were deployed at the government complex in the city of Al-Ghaydah.

On Saturday evening, Southern forces also secured control of the 315th Armored Brigade in Thamud District, in the desert of Hadramout.