Yemen: separatists declare autonomy for the South, peace agreement broken

Text by: RFI Follow

The separatists of Yemen declared this Sunday April 26 the autonomy of the southern part of the country, torn apart by the war. This breaks the peace agreement with the government and aggravates the long conflict with the Houthi rebels who control much of the North.

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For the Southern Transitional Council (STC), the responsibilities are clear: the Yemeni government, its former ally, did not fulfill its obligations and "  conspired  " against the cause of the South.

"  The STC declares autonomy in the South from midnight on Saturday April 25, 2020," said the separatists in a statement. An autonomy committee will start its work on the basis of a list of tasks assigned by the Council presidency.  "

Agreement quickly lapsed

Why this declaration of autonomy? Long mobilized for independence, they nevertheless signed a power-sharing agreement in Riyadh in November. The deal ended a battle for the South which saw them take control of the country's second city, Aden .

However, the pact quickly lapsed. In question, the non-application in time of key measures, including the formation of a new government including representatives of the Southerners, as well as the reorganization of the military forces.

Fear of spread of coronavirus

The split between the ex-allies comes as the Saudi-led coalition, which supports the internationally recognized government in its battle against the Houthis, has extended a unilateral ceasefire aimed at curbing the coronavirus pandemic. In April, Yemen reported its first case of Covid-19 in Hadramaut, a government-controlled southern province, raising concerns about the spread of the disease.

While the Houthis rejected the peace agreement, fighting continues in this war-torn country, which has resulted in what the United Nations has called "the world's worst humanitarian disaster". Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in the past five years in the war between the government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

The tragic fate of Yemen has recently been compounded by a natural disaster. At least 21 people were killed in flash floods this month when the streets of Aden were swamped and houses destroyed.

(With AFP)

► Read also: Coronavirus: Yemen faces a new war

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