Aden: President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi flew in to war-ravaged Yemen’s second city yesterday after six months in exile in Saudi Arabia, vowing to make a rapid return to the rebel-held capital.
Only hours earlier, warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition killed at least 21 people in Sana’a, a day after thousands of sympathisers took to its streets to celebrate a year since its seizure by Iran-backed Shia Houthi rebels.
Hadi, who is recognised by the international community, arrived in Aden aboard a Saudi military aircraft that landed at an airbase adjoining the civilian airport in the southern port city.
He promised a rapid return to Sana’a.
“The return to the capital Sana’a will come soon after the liberation of all cities and provinces,” from the hands of militias, he said in a statement.
In the immediate near term, the presidency said Hadi would remain in Aden for a few days before heading to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.
In New York, UN chief Ban Ki-moon was “extremely concerned by the escalating ground fighting and air strikes that have caused... an ever-growing number of civilian casualties in recent days,” his spokesman said.
He reminded all parties of their obligation to “take all feasible precautions to avoid loss of civilian life and damage to civilian objects.”
Aden was Hadi’s last refuge when he fled the rebel-controlled capital after they took over the government.
Much of the city has been reduced to rubble by months of ferocious fighting, with the rebels backed by renegade soldiers loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Prime Minister Khaled Bahah and several ministers returned to Aden last week, two months after it was retaken from the rebels.
The Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against the rebels on March 26, and began a ground operation in July.
Hadi’s return comes ahead of the Eid Al-Adha holiday.
In July, Hadi said “Aden will be the key to Yemen’s salvation,” in a televised address marking the end of the Holy month of Ramadan.
Since then, the Houthis have lost five southern provinces to loyalists. AFP
