Saudi Arabia demands Yemen separatists withdraw forces 'peacefully'

Saudi Arabiawarned Saturday it would backYemen's government in anymilitaryconfrontation with separatist forces and urged them to withdraw "peacefully" from recently seized provinces.

The statements came a day after reported Saudiair strikeson separatist positions in Yemen's Hadramawt province and after Washington called for restraint in the rapidly escalating conflict.

General Turki al-Malki, the spokesman