Saudi takes command of coalition forces in Yemen's Aden

RIYADH

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen said Sunday its forces have been repositioned in the southern city of Aden to be under the command of Saudi Arabia.

A coalition statement said the move was taken to "conform with the requirements of the current operations", without giving any further details.

It said the redeployment came as part of effort "to coordinate military and security operations plans, enhance humanitarian and relief actions and strengthen efforts to secure waterways adjacent to Yemeni coastlines", the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.

There was no comment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the redeployment.

Coalition forces in Aden had been under the UAE command since Riyadh and its Sunni allies began a massive air campaign in 2015 against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, who overran much of Yemen a year earlier.

In August, scores were killed in clashes between UAE-backed forces and government troops in Aden amid rising anger in the Yemeni government against Abu Dhabi.