Aller au contenu principal

Yemen's prime minister returns from Saudi exile

Yemen's prime minister returns to Aden after exile in Saudi Arabia
Yemen's newly appointed Vice President Khaled Bahah holds a press conference in Riyadh (AFP)
Par MEE staff

Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah flew into the southern port of Aden from exile in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, after pro-government forces ousted Houthi rebels from the city, an airport source said.

Bahah, who is also vice president, fled into exile with President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and the rest of his government when the rebels entered Aden -- their last refuge -- earlier this year.

An airport source said that Bahah arrived on a Saudi military plane, becoming the highest ranking official to return to the devastated city since the government announced its liberation in mid-July.

Impoverished Yemen has been rocked by months of fighting between the Houthi rebels and Hadi loyalists, who have received air support from a Saudi-led coalition.

Thousands have been killed and millions are need of aid.

On Monday, a humanitarian pause declared by the coalition went into effect but it collapsed the next day.

The interior and transport ministers toured parts of Aden in mid-July during a brief visit to assess the damage from the fighting.

They also looked at ways to fully reopen the ports and airport to allow the delivery of desperately needed relief supplies.

The rebels and their allies remain in control of the capital Sanaa and large swathes of the country.

Middle East Eye propose une couverture et une analyse indépendantes et incomparables du Moyen-Orient, de l’Afrique du Nord et d’autres régions du monde. Pour en savoir plus sur la reprise de ce contenu et les frais qui s’appliquent, veuillez remplir ce formulaire [en anglais]. Pour en savoir plus sur MEE, cliquez ici [en anglais].