Yemeni separatists abandon self-rule as Saudi Arabia brokers peace deal between allies

Separatists in Yemen abandoned their declaration of self-rule in the south on Wednesday and pledged to implement a stalled Saudi-brokered peace deal, AFP reports. The move could mend a rift between allies in the war against Houthi rebels.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) proclaimed self-governance in April after accusing the government of failing to perform its duties, pushing the war-ravaged country deeper into crisis.

The breakdown between the one-time allies had complicated a long and separate conflict between a Saudi-led military coalition and the Houthi rebels, who control much of the north, including the capital Sanaa.

The STC “announces that it is abandoning its self-rule declaration” to allow the implementation of a power-sharing deal known as the Riyadh agreement, according to spokesman Nizar Haitham.