ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A number of officials of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government would return to the southern port city of Aden after signing a power-sharing deal with the Southern Transitional Council (STC), sources said on Saturday.
"We are ready to return to the city of Aden, according to provisions of the Riyadh deal," Salem Al-Khanbashy, deputy prime minister of the Yemeni government, confirmed to Xinhua by phone.
He said that a number of officials would return to Aden, including the country's Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik in the upcoming days.
On the delay of the government's return to Aden, Al-Khanbashy said that "the delay was due to technical obstacles and logistical arrangements."
According to the deputy PM of Yemen, the government's return to Aden will be followed by forming a military committee to begin the process of organizing the military and security file in the country's southern part.
Earlier in the day, joint forces representing both pro-Saudi Yemeni factions began securing a number of state facilities in Aden.
In August, forces loyal to the Aden-based STC engaged in intense street fighting with the government forces over the control of Aden and other neighboring southern provinces.
The STC seized all the state institutions after defeating the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces during Aden's battles.
Saudi Arabia persuaded the STC and Yemen's government to hold reconciliation talks, which succeeded in reaching a deal to form a new technocrat cabinet of no more than 24 ministers earlier this month. Enditem
