Forces from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen launched a rapid offensive on 30 November, advancing into the oil-rich inland areas of Hadhramaut under operation “Promising Future.” The offensive displaced military and tribal forces and brought key oil fields under their control, shaking up Yemen’s balance of power.
The displaced forces, that also were nominally under the broad umbrella of the internationally-recognized government, draw support from the local Islamist Islah party and are broadly aligned with Saudi Arabia. Tribal elements within Hadhramaut under the leadership of Amr bin Habrish had also this year been pushing for greater autonomy using the region’s oil riches as leverage. As justification for its actions the STC, which has backing from the UAE, says it is liberating regions from forces controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood in collusion with the Houthis and terrorists like Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). (CONTINUED - 762 WORDS)
