United Arab Emirates-backed Separatists Tighten Grip of Southern Yemen, and Airspace Briefly Closed

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — On Monday, tensions escalated in Yemen’s south as the airspace was briefly closed. The Saudi-led coalition’s failure to issue flight permissions briefly halted flights to and from Aden, Yemen. This move was seen as a message to the separatist Southern Transitional Council following their recent clashes across southern Yemen and seizure of the oil-rich Hadhramaut province. The closure was later reversed, allowing flight operations in Aden airport where passengers were stranded. Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition has controlled Yemen’s airspace, although Saudi Arabia did not acknowledge the closure on Monday.