ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's internationally-recognized government, led by Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani, held its first meeting on Thursday in the southern port city of Aden, amid opposition demonstrations and heightened security measures.
According to the state-run Saba news agency, the meeting was chaired by al-Zindani and attended by most cabinet members, marking the official resumption of government operations in the war-torn Arab country.
A large number of demonstrators loyal to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) gathered outside the meeting venue, waving pro-secession flags and chanting slogans against the government.
They attempted to block cabinet members from entering the compound and blocked the main roads for hours before security forces intervened, according to local sources.
Residents said that military and security forces redeployed around the presidential area and along roads leading to government institutions and officials' residences as part of heightened measures.
Earlier in the day, the STC criticized the government's return from Saudi Arabia, saying it was carried out without coordination with the council, which regards itself as a key political actor in southern Yemen.
In a press statement, the STC condemned the move as a "blatant challenge" to the will of the southern people and a "disregard" for their self-determination demands, warning of further protests.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and large swathes of the north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the Yemeni government.
The STC, formed in 2017, seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into the Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources. ■
