The head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, on Tuesday declared a state of emergency as tensions escalated in the south of the country.

He also ordered the withdrawal of troops from the United Arab Emirates within 24 hours.

According to Yemen’s state news agency SABA, the decree also cancels the Joint Defence Agreement between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.

The national state of emergency would last for 90 days, al-Alimi said in a televised address. He also announced a 72-hour shutdown of all ports and border crossings across Yemen.

The Saudi-backed council led by al-Alimi holds the reins of power in government-controlled areas of Yemen, which has been divided for years by a civil war with Houthi rebels.

Recently, tensions have increased between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government coalition and the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist group backed by the UAE.

The coalition on Tuesday conducted a “limited airstrike” on two vessels in the southern Yemeni port city of Mukalla, saying they were delivering weapons to the STC.

The STC has repeatedly defied its partners as it seeks to control larger areas of Yemen and demands secession of the country’s southern region.

However, the Saudi Foreign Ministry urged the UAE to withdraw its military forces from Yemen and halt all forms of military and financial support to what it called local actors.

(dpa/NAN)