Yemen Government, Separatists Sign Power-Sharing Deal

In this photo released by the Saudi Royal Palace, Yemeni Southern Transitional Council member Nasser al-Khabji, left, and Yemen's deputy Prime Minister Salem al-Khanbashi sign a power-sharing deal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 5, 2019.

Yemen's internationally recognized government signed a Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal with Southern separatists Monday, aiming to quell a new front in the country's civil war.

The signing was broadcast on Saudi Arabia's state TV, which did not reveal any details of the agreement.

"This agreement will open a new period of stability in Yemen. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands with you," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

Both the government and the separatists are part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebel group.

The United Arab Emirates backed the southern separatists. The UAE has been a key member of the anti-Houthi coalition. Its support for the separatists had threatened to further complicate the dangerous situation throughout Yemen.

The Houthis seized the Yemeni capital in 2014, followed by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes against the rebels. The strikes have obliterated entire civilian neighborhoods, killing thousands and aggravating what was already a humanitarian crisis in one of the world's poorest nations.