Saudi-Led Coalition Targets Yemen Separatists, Leaving 20 Dead in Airstrikes

{ "title": "Saudi-Led Coalition Targets Yemen Separatists, Leaving 20 Dead in Airstrikes", "article": "A Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on a separatist camp in Yemen on Friday, killing at least 20 fighters from the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council (STC). The strikes hit military bases in Al-Khasha and Seiyun, and also affected airport operations at Aden International Airport. The attacks came after the STC seized control of several provinces, including Hadramout and Mahra, and after Saudi Arabia bombed the port city of Mukalla earlier in the week. The UAE had announced its withdrawal of forces from Yemen, but Saudi Arabia's decision to target the separatist camp has escalated tensions in the region. The STC has accused Saudi Arabia of misleading the international community about its intentions, and of launching a 'decisive and existential war' against the separatist forces. Saudi Arabia has maintained that its operation aims to peacefully hand over military sites to local forces. The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing for nearly a decade, with various factions backed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other regional powers. The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who seized control of the capital Sanaa in 2014 and continue to hold significant territory in the country. The airstrikes have raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where thousands of civilians have been killed or injured in the conflict. The international community has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but so far, there is no clear end in sight to the fighting."