Yemen prime minister quits, replaced by FM after purge of UAE-aligned ministers

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The prime minister of Yemen’s internationally recognized government has been replaced by his foreign minister after the premier submitted his government’s resignation, the country’s Saudi-backed presidential body says.

Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik will be replaced by Dr Shaya Mohsen Zindani, as the latter is tasked with forming a new government.

The move comes after weeks of tensions between Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates following a failed push by Abu Dhabi-backed separatists to seize most of Yemen’s south.

The offensive was rolled back by Saudi strikes and allies on the ground, forcing the UAE to withdraw its troops from the country before Riyadh moved to boost its influence in the country’s internationally recognized government.

A Presidential Leadership Council statement published on Saba cites “efforts to restore state institutions, strengthen the unity of sovereign decision-making” and “defeating the coup” as reasons for the premier’s resignation.

Braik’s government, previously split between UAE and Saudi-backed figures, had undergone a purge, with UAE-aligned ministers dismissed and the presidential council chairman declaring that all southern factions would unite under Saudi command.

Both the Saudi- and internationally-backed government and the UAE-backed separatists are distinct from the Iran-backed Houthi terror group, which controls about half the country, including its capital Sanaa, and has launched frequent attacks on Israel throughout periods of the Israel-Hamas war.