He pointed out that the agreement, which provided for the return of a battalion of the First Brigade Presidential Protection to Aden in accordance with the Riyadh agreement, but what happened was the opposite and violated the agreement.
"With regard to the developments in Abyan province yesterday and today, we would like to clarify that the Riyadh agreement stipulated that the first brigade would return to Aden for presidential protection and a brigade would be allowed to protect the Southern Transitional Council," Mansour said in a Facebook post.
He added: "Accordingly, it has been agreed in the negotiating committee to determine the strength, leadership and structure of the First Brigade Presidential Protection as it existed before August 2019."
Mansour continued: "In implementation of the above, it was agreed during the past two days to allow the First Brigade Presidential Protection to return to protect the Ma'ashiq Palace, however, what happened is the recruitment of a military force belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood from Marib with all its members being from the northern governorates, It has nothing to do with the 1st Brigade, presidential protection, and it came equiped with a large military hardware that is not intended for what it is tasked, which has long been rejected by the Southern Transitional Council. "
He explained, "following this escalation, the team of the Southern Transitional Council in the Joint Committee in Riyadh met with our Saudi brothers and provided evidence that these forces are not related to the first brigade presidential protection, and accordingly, we directed our forces to stop those forces in the city of Shakra until the identity and armament are verfied and whether they follow the first brigade presidential protection or not. "
Mansour continued: "We stress that the Council is committed to the peace efforts and keen on implementing the Riyadh agreement, however, first and foremost, it is committed to defending the southern territories, and to protect them from attempts to reoccupy them again in any form, or sow terrorism in them. We have learned from the lessons of the past."
Via Aden Time