Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
An official source in the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) expressed surprise at recent statements made by council member Faraj Al-Bahsani. The source stated that Al-Bahsani’s remarks oppose sovereign decisions made by the council’s leadership—most notably the unification of military and security forces under the Ministries of Defense and Interior, as stipulated by the Riyadh Agreement and the Power Transfer Declaration.
In a statement carried by the official Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the source emphasized that these remarks represent a clear departure from the principle of collective responsibility that governs the PLC. They further noted that such views contradict the governing frameworks of the transitional period and the constitutional powers granted to the Council to manage military and security files, ensuring that state institutions recover and maintain exclusive authority.
The source pointed out that questioning Saudi Arabia’s efforts to host the “Southern Dialogue” and calling for it to be moved outside the agreed-upon sponsorship sends negative messages. Such rhetoric, the source added, does not serve the path of de-escalation or the “Southern Issue,” which the PLC has repeatedly committed to addressing within a comprehensive national framework based on partnership and consensus.
Furthermore, the official noted that these positions are an extension of Al-Bahsani’s previous “lenient stances” toward unilateral actions witnessed in Hadramawt and Mahra governorates. According to the source, this conflicts with the sovereign duties and national responsibilities inherent in membership of the Presidential Leadership Council.
The PLC underscored its commitment to dealing with these practices responsibly and in accordance with the constitution and law to preserve the unity of sovereign decision-making and the prestige of the state.
These official rebukes follow striking statements Al-Bahsani made to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday. He ruled out the possibility of armed forces in southern Yemen falling under the control of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition—a position that exposes the ongoing rifts within the internationally recognized government camp.
Al-Bahsani’s comments came shortly after PLC Head Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi announced that all southern forces would operate under the Coalition’s leadership, following the recovery of vast areas previously controlled by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) last December.
Key quotes from Al-Bahsani:
- “There is difficulty in unifying the forces under a single banner led by the Coalition as announced by Rashad Al-Alimi.”
- “Southern forces, whether belonging to the STC, Hadramawt forces, or any others, will not accept this.”
- Regarding the Saudi-led dialogue: Al-Bahsani stated he would participate only if there is an “atmosphere of real dialogue.” He called for Southerners to be given the chance to consult outside of Saudi Arabia to avoid any potential “pressure” on participants in Riyadh.
On Saturday, the Yemeni government hinted that the United Arab Emirates was preventing Al-Bahsani from traveling to Riyadh to join the talks, an accusation denied by an STC official.
Saudi Arabia is currently seeking to hold a dialogue including various southern factions to discuss the “Southern Issue” within a framework of calm and consensus. While approximately 50 STC officials traveled to Riyadh last Wednesday at the Kingdom’s invitation, communication with them has reportedly been difficult, and no date for the conference has yet been set.
