ADEN, Yemen (AP) — A government official said Yemen’s airspace was briefly closed on Monday as tensions escalated in the country’s south after a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates took over an oil-rich region.

The recent takeover of areas in Hadhramaut province by the Southern Transitional Council reflects a rift in forces aligned against the Houthi rebels who have taken most of the country’s north, including the capital, Sanaa.

A Yemeni government official said Monday that the Saudi-led coalition had withheld permission for flights, including those to and from the southern city of Aden , the seat of the internationally recognized government.

The official described the move as a “Saudi message” to the separatists, following their latest takeover of areas in the spra

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