Aden, Yemen - President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, returned to Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen, on Saturday, August 17th, 2024, after a month-long absence. His trip included a visit to Hadhramaut Governorate earlier this month and a stay in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Upon his arrival in Aden, al-Alimi stressed the importance of unity and teamwork, according to the official Yemeni news agency Saba. He highlighted the need for a united front, especially in light of the unprecedented challenges facing the Yemeni people, including economic and financial difficulties, and the ongoing attempts by terrorist organizations and militias to destabilize security and stability in liberated governorates.

Al-Alimi expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their unwavering support in restoring state institutions, maintaining cohesion, and fulfilling the aspirations of the Yemeni people for peace, stability, and development.

According to Saba, al-Alimi held a series of meetings and consultations with regional and international actors during his stay in Riyadh. These discussions focused on the latest developments in Yemen, regional dynamics, and the necessary support for the government and state institutions to fulfill their service and livelihood obligations, as well as mitigating the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by Houthi attacks on oil facilities and international shipping routes, supported by the Iranian regime.

The agency also reported on al-Alimi's visit to Hadhramaut Governorate, accompanied by Council members Abdullah al-Alimi and Othman Majli, where he reviewed the governorate's situation and the commendable efforts of the local authorities and national components at all levels.

Al-Alimi's return comes just two days after reports surfaced of an armed group affiliated with Presidential Leadership Council member Abu Zar'a al-Mahrami storming a presidential office in Aden, which is under the security and military control of the Southern Transitional Council. This incident led to the departure of the presidential office director, Yahya al-Shuaibi, from the city, according to local media reports.

On Friday, August 16th, a presidential source clarified the circumstances surrounding the alleged storming of the presidential office by al-Mahrami's armed group. Saba quoted a responsible source in the Presidential Leadership Council, stating that the Council was fully aware of the incident involving the closure of a building in Khor Maksar, rented by the Presidential Office in the temporary capital, Aden.

While denying media reports of an armed storming, the source stated that representatives from the office of Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami visited the site and legally informed the staff. The representatives requested the staff to close the office and take leave until the Leadership Council convened to discuss the matter. The source confirmed that the staff closed the office with their personal keys in response to the request.

The source emphasized the Presidential Leadership Council's unwavering and unified stance in addressing such "occasional irregularities" and its unwavering commitment to unity and a shared destiny for all national components in confronting the Iranian-backed Houthis.