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South Yemen separatists pin down govt in Aden

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ADEN: Yemeni ministers were holed up in Aden’s presidential palace on Wednesday after separatist forces seized effective control of the southern port city, dealing another blow to the country’s embattled government.


Pro-separatist forces known as the “security belt” fanned out across the city — the country’s de facto capital — after three days of fighting that left 38 people dead. The coalition has backed the beleaguered government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi since intervening against Ansarullah in Yemen’s civil war in March 2015.


But the Arab allies, whose military coalition was launched to roll back rebel gains and restore Yemen’s “legitimate” government to power in Sanaa, have not intervened to prop up Hadi against his separatist rivals.


The coalition has instead urged the separatists to exercise restraint and called on the government to weigh up the demands of its rivals.


While Yemen’s president resides in the Saudi capital, the infighting in the anti-Ansarullah camp has left Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher and a number of senior government figures holed up in the Aden presidential palace.


A military source said the separatists had also taken over the bin Dagher’s office chief overnight.


The United Nations raised alarm bells on Wednesday over the impact of the violent standoff on more than 40,000


Yemenis recently displaced to Aden, and now cut off from aid.


More than 40,000 people fled to Aden and nearby governorates since December and we anticipate more displacement as people continue to flee from hostilities in the west coast. — AFP


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