More than 800 northern Yemenis deported from Aden

More than 800 Northerners living in the port Aden city were arrested and expelled on Sunday, in what analysts describe as unjust racial profiling as the country attempts to resolve its conflict.

Authorities, joined by members of southern militant groups in the temporary capital deported 842 northerners claiming they were "undocumented workers".

But images emerged on the popular social media platform Twitter showed groups of civilians allegedly holding ID cards while others were shown being rounded up and driven out of the city in the back of pick-up trucks.

A troubled relationship between north and south Yemen has forced many in the southern provinces to demand secession in recent years, refering to years of inequality and oppression under former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Thousands of southerners have escalated demands to split from their northern counterparts in recent years, organisaing regular million-person marches in Aden - considered by many the capital of South Yemen.  

The news comes following cracks in Yemen's direct peace talks between the government and Houthi rebels that emerged on Saturday, forcing the UN envoy to revert to mediating between the warring factions in indirect talks.

A Yemeni government delegation pulled out of negotiations with Houthi rebels in Kuwait, complaining of a lack of progress in the fragile talks that began three weeks ago.

A government official blamed Houthis - backed by supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh - for the breakdown in negotiations. 

He said the rebels "went back on their word" about discussing substantive issues in three joint working groups formed under UN auspices.

Each side accuses the other of not respecting the truce which has been constantly broken since it came into force on 11 April.

Direct peace talks between the two warring parties heralded fresh hopes for an end to Yemen's war, which has left at least 6,800 people dead and made 2.8 million homeless.