Saudi Arabia urges Yemen's separatists to leave 2 governorates as the anti-rebel coalition strains

Saudi Arabia has called on separatists in southern Yemen to withdraw from two governorates they now hold. The move could spark tensions within the coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control the country's north. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the Southern Transitional Council to leave Hadramout and Mahra. The separatists are supported by the United Arab Emirates while Saudi Arabia supports the forced of the internationally backed government, the National Shield Forces. The kingdom stressed the need for Yemeni factions to cooperate and avoid destabilizing actions. The council's actions have strained Saudi-UAE relations as they both seek influence in the region.