TASS, August 26. Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) has announced suspension of negotiations on the so-called Riyadh agreement aimed at forming a united government in the country, Reuters reported, citing the council’s statement.

According to the agency, the STC named collapse of the government service system in south Yemen and escalation of military conflict by government forces among the reasons behind this decision.

The deal inked in Riyadh on November 5, 2019 between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the STC envisages creation of a unified government of 24 ministers whose briefs will be equally split between the southern and northern provinces. Moreover, the parties agreed to merge all armed units they control and power structures and put them under authority of the defense and interior ministries. Moreover, the parties agreed to join forces in coalition under Saudi Arabia’s leadership to fight Houthi rebels, the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

On June 18, Saudi Arabia suggested that the Yemeni government and the transition council resume the implementation of the Riyadh agreement. In particular, the initiative envisions a complete ceasefire. Saudi Arabia calls on the warring parties to redeploy their armed forces and urges the council to withdraw troops from Yemen’s temporary capital of Aden.

The Yemen conflict has been raging for five years and has provoked a major humanitarian crisis in the world, as more than 24 million Yemenis (or around 80% of the population) desperately need humanitarian aid, while there are more than 3 million internally displaced persons in the country, according to the UN.