Representatives of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) yesterday suspended their participation in all joint committees that follow up with the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.

UAE Erem news site quoted an unnamed STC official as saying that the body has suspended its participation in protest against the aggressive military campaign launched by the militias of the Islah Party against the people of Shabwa governorate who are loyal to the STC.

In early December, the Houthi-affiliated news site Uprising Today reported that the STC had said that it is “no longer bound to implement the Riyadh Agreement, especially after Hadi’s government renounced its obligations under the agreement”.

Signed between the Yemeni government and the United Arab Emirates-backed STC in the Saudi capital Riyadh a month earlier, the Riyadh Agreement was due to end the conflict over several southern cities, including Aden.