Yemen exile government returns to Aden

ADEN — Yemen’s premier-in-exile returned home on Thursday along with seven ministers to the southern city of Aden, the temporary capital as rebels continue to rule Sanaa.

Prime Minister Ahmed Bin Dagher flew from Riyadh to the port city where he said upon arrival that his return is “final”.

The premier’s voyage is the first since his predecessor Khaled Bahah fled Aden in October last year after surviving a bombing attack, only weeks after he had returned with a handful of ministers.

Government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition had pushed Shiite rebels and their allies out of Aden and four other southern provinces in the summer.

The coalition launched a military campaign against the rebels in March 2015 as they closed in on President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi after he took refuge in Aden, forcing him into exile in Riyadh.

Hadi has not made any suggestion of returning to Yemen soon. 

Bin Dagher said his return follows a decision by Hadi to withdraw the central bank from rebel-held Sanaa to Aden. 

His government has 32 ministers. Some are expected to move from Riyadh to Marib, east of Sanaa, a region that is also mostly controlled by loyalists.