The Southern Transitional Council on Friday said it was suspending its participation in Saudi-sponsored talks with parties loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in Yemen's internationally recognised government, citing arrests of some of its leaders in Shabwa province.

The fate of Dr. Mohammed Ja'afar Abu Baker, the head of the council's leadership in Hadhramout province, his deputy Hasan Al-Ghulam and other leaders, is still unknown after they were arrested by pro-government forces in the district of Bir Ali in Shabwa, said Ali Al-Kathiri, the council's spokesperson.

He added, “We hold militias loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood controlling Shabwa responsible for the arrests and declare suspension of our participation in talks on the implementation of the Riyadh agreement being held in Saudi Arabia.”

The STC fighters and the government forces have clashed repeatedly in some southern provinces including Shabwa which is controlled by the Yemeni government. The two sides signed a power-sharing agreement in 2019, but it has not been fully implemented so far.

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