Demonstrators began to withdraw from the Aden-based presidential palace a temporary headquarters of the Yemeni government shortly after they stormed it in protest of deteriorating living conditions, a government source told Sputnik, adding that security reinforcements arrived on the scene
CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Demonstrators began to withdraw from the Aden-based presidential palace a temporary headquarters of the Yemeni government shortly after they stormed it in protest of deteriorating living conditions, a government source told Sputnik, adding that security reinforcements arrived on the scene.
Earlier in the day, the source told Sputnik that rally participants raided the presidential palace in the interim capital of Aden in southern Yemen protesting against the non-payment of salaries and pensions to a significant number of citizens.
"Dozens of protesters left courtyards of the Maasheeq presidential palace following the arrival of security reinforcements led by the Aden police chief, Mutahar al-Shuaibi, who convinced demonstrators of the need to leave the palace," the source said.
During the rally, protesters raised a separatist flag that the Southern Transitional Council (STC) uses as a symbol of the state that it seeks to establish in the southern provinces of Yemen. They crossed security barriers and stormed the palace's gates, chanting anti-government slogans.
At the same time, several government ministers were transferred from the palace to a headquarters of the Saudi-led Arab coalition in western Aden, according to the source. However, some of them were in their residences on the palace's territory.
The demonstrations took place in the wake of protests in the eastern city of Seiyun against a government-prompted increase in prices on oil derivatives. As a result, four people were injured.
In mid-December, the country's president announced the creation of a new power-sharing government consisting of 24 ministers in line with the terms of the Riyadh peace deal concluded with Yemen's separatist STC in November 2019. The new cabinet sits in the temporary capital of Aden, as the official one, Sanaa, has been under the control of the Houthi movement since September 2014.
