UAE-backed southern separatists blamed for wave of kidnappings in Yemen

The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has been blamed for a wave of kidnappings of military leaders in Yemen’s interim capital, Aden.

A statement released by the self-styled Free Southern Resistance Council said chairman of their council, Sheikh Muhammad Sheikh Al-Saeedi- known as Abu Osama- was kidnapped on Wednesday in an attack involving two vehicles.

The movement strongly condemned the kidnapping, pointing fingers at the STC, which is currently in control of Aden.

"We call on the security and local authorities in Aden to reveal the fate of Sheikh Abu Osama, and we in the Council of Free Resistance draw the attention of the international community and its humanitarian organisations to what is happening in Aden in terms of violation… of all international conventions and treaties and moral and humanitarian values", the statement posted to Facebook read.

Last Saturday, the leadership of the government-affiliated Public Transport Brigade announced the kidnapping of one of its officers near his home in the Dar Saad district in northern Yemen, according to Arabi21.

In early May, the deputy leader of the resistance council in southern Yemen was also abducted. Similar kidnappings took place weeks before.

The STC, which has been at odds with the Yemeni government, has been blamed for this series of kidnappings.

The government in Yemen- divided between groups of Yemen’s southern warring factions- was formed in a Saudi and UAE-backed deal last year. Aden has served as the government's de-facto capital since Iran-backed Houthi rebels took over the country’s capital city, Sanaa, in 2015