Saudi invites Yemen’s southern factions to ‘dialogue’ in Riyadh after surprise independence bid

Southern Transitional Council wants to form a breakaway state, which would split the Arabian Peninsula's poorest state in two

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has called for Yemen's southern factions to attend a dialogue" in Riyadh, after a surprise independence bid and the United Arab Emirates declaring it had withdrawn all troops from Yemen.

In a statement on Saturday, the Saudi ministry urged a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions to discuss just solutions to the southern cause". Riyadh said the Yemeni government had issued the invitation for talks.