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Southern separatists in Aden on August 29, 2019. REUTERS / Fawaz Salman

In the south of Yemen, the new front opened a few weeks ago settles in the duration. On Wednesday, August 28, the loyalist forces announced the reconquest of the city of Aden but this Thursday, the southern separatists were once again in control of the city after the fighting that caused casualties.

The rupture is violent between the loyalist forces and the southern separatists. Both sides were united in recent years to fight the Shiite rebellion of the Houthis. This "war in war" also raises the question of regional alliances because despite an offensive by loyalist forces, the separatists in the south are again masters of Aden . It is a setback for the government camp that says its troops have been targeted by United Arab Emirates air strikes.

If this information is confirmed, it could have serious consequences for the regional coalition at war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the main belligerents and have been fighting since 2015 against the Shiite rebellion of the Houthis.

Saudis and Emirati do not have the same ground alliances

But Saudis and Emiris do not have the same alliances on Yemeni soil. Riyadh supports President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, while the United Arab Emirates has forged links with the separatists. They dream of resuscitating South Yemen, which was independent until 1990.

From now on, it is the arms that speak between the southerners and the government camp. This raises the question of the strength of the regional coalition that supports them.

I arrived in Aden a week ago and really what shocked me when I arrived was to see all our staff who was really worried about the situation and that's really bad sign in general. Everyone is pretty pessimistic about what will happen in the next few days.

Caroline Seguin from Médecin sans frontière tells the story in Aden 29/08/2019 - by Nicolas Falez