Yemeni forces protect government facilities in Aden

In preparation for the full return of the Yemeni government to Aden, Yemeni forces tasked with securing government facilities have been sent to protect 42 institutions in Aden and Lahj, under supervision of the Arab coalition.

The move follows the November 5th signing of the Riyadh agreement between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Under the agreement, the government will return to Aden, and both pro-government and southern separatist forces will be placed under the authority of the Yemeni defence and interior ministries.

Members of a 1,000-strong force trained under the supervision of the Arab coalition will be stationed at government buildings, as well as oil and energy facilities in Aden and Lahj, media reports said.

The force has been deployed in co-ordination with the Arab coalition and security forces in Aden, said Brig. Gen. Ahmed bin Afif, who commands the brigade tasked with protecting government facilities.

It will be responsible for securing government institutions that have reopened and resumed their operations after the recent unrest, he told Al-Mashareq.

Efforts to restore stability

The force was deployed to protect some government buildings under the supervision of Saudi forces, which will oversee the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, deputy Aden governor Ghassan al-Zamki told Al-Mashareq.

“These forces still report to STC until they have been integrated into the Interior Ministry’s forces as per the Riyadh agreement,” he said.

The Arab Coalition is the guarantor of the Riyadh agreement, and will oversee the integration of these forces into the Interior Ministry’s forces, at which time they will report to the government, he explained.

This is expected to take around a month, he said.

Al-Zamki stressed the need for the STC to comply with the implementation of the agreement in the meantime so stability can be restored, services and infrastructure can be repaired and reconstruction efforts can begin.

Some ministries and institutions resumed work from Aden on Sunday.