Exiled Yemeni government, southern separatists hold post-bloodshed talks

A spokesperson for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) released a statement saying his group was set to enter talks with the Saudi-based government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi on Thursday.

The talks will aim to "cooperate with President Hadi under the auspices and guarantee of the Arab Alliance, in order to improve services and address issues in the southern regions of the country", Nizar Haitham said.

On Tuesday, the factions signed a Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal aims to end a north-south rift that has escalated during the country's war.

The crisis reached heightened in August, when separatists completed a coup against legitimacy by moving to take military control of Aden, after days of clashes, which saw dozens killed and injured from both sides. The Yemeni government accused Abu Dhabi of being behind the "insurgency."

Security Belt Forces - dominated by the STC - in August took control of Aden, which had served as the beleaguered government's base since it was ousted by the Houthi coup.

The clashes between the separatists and government forces, who for years fought on the same side against the Houthis, had raised fears the country could split into two entities.

The STC then expelled internally-displaced Yemenis from the north of the country seeking refuge from the ongoing violence.

"We do believe among those migrating south there are some planted by certain political groups", Mohamed Alsahimi, deputy head of the STC's UK office told The New Arab at the time - accusing some refugees being planted to instigate instability in the country’s south.

The warring factions in recent weeks held indirect talks mediated by Saudi Arabia in the kingdom's western city of Jeddah, which culminated in the deal signed in Riyadh.