Aden, Dec 25 (NationPress) Yemen's government, recognized internationally, expressed its support on Thursday for Saudi Arabia's initiative aimed at calming rising tensions in the southern regions of the country, where military movements by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) are putting pressure on the anti-Houthi coalition.

In a statement published by the state-run Saba news agency, the Yemeni administration appreciated what it termed a clear, balanced, and responsible position taken by Saudi Arabia regarding the recent events in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah provinces.

The government cautioned that any military or security measures enacted outside of state authority, or without collaboration with the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the government, or local authorities, represent an "unacceptable source of tension" and place additional strain on the war-torn nation.

Earlier on Thursday, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry remarked that the recent troop deployments by the STC within the two southern provinces of Yemen marked an "unjustified escalation" that jeopardizes Yemeni interests and complicates the efforts of the Saudi-led coalition.

In response, Riyadh announced that a joint Saudi-Emirati military team had arrived in Aden to coordinate with the STC on the withdrawal of its troops from the area in an orderly and timely manner, while also transferring military camps to government-aligned or local forces.

The situation intensified on December 3 when STC forces seized control of Hadramout following confrontations with pro-government units, accusing them of maintaining connections with the Muslim Brotherhood. Furthermore, the STC expressed dissatisfaction with the PLC for not initiating a serious campaign against the Houthi group.

Following this, STC forces expanded their presence into Al-Mahrah with minimal resistance and have since recruited local forces in both provinces despite calls for de-escalation from the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia, as reported by Xinhua.

Moreover, the STC has recently commenced a significant military operation in the southern province of Abyan.

Earlier this week, the STC secured the allegiance of over a dozen ministers within the central government. Meanwhile, eight southern provinces under STC control have expressed increasing support for the STC's calls for separation.

As the STC's military footprint grows in several key provinces, Saudi Arabia has halted the issuance of permits for vessels to enter the STC-controlled port of Aden.

Since 2014, Yemen has been engulfed in conflict, initiated when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and significant portions of the north. This prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 to back the internationally-recognized government.

Established in 2017, the STC advocates for self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into the PLC in 2022, the group persists in its pursuit of southern sovereignty, leading to ongoing disputes over power-sharing and resource management.

The STC has accused previous Yemeni administrations of politically and economically sidelining the south, a claim Yemeni authorities have consistently denied, emphasizing the necessity of territorial unity.