A delegation headed by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of Yemen’s primary separatist movement, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia soon, two sources told Reuters on Monday, January 5. The move is seen as a possible step toward easing tensions between the separatists and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The conflict, which erupted early last month, has fueled a serious rift between regional powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and weakened the coalition fighting the Houthi movement. The Iran-aligned Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting a Gulf-led intervention the following year in support of the recognised government, effectively dividing Yemen into competing areas of control.

Although the UAE-supported STC had long been part of the government controlling Yemen’s southern and eastern regions, STC forces unexpectedly seized large areas of territory last month. Al-Zubaidi’s planned visit comes shortly after the government requested that Saudi Arabia host talks aimed at resolving southern disputes. Riyadh approved the proposal and invited southern factions to participate.

The STC welcomed the initiative, suggesting that all parties now regard negotiations as the best path toward ending the recent fighting. Meanwhile, government troops, supported by Saudi airstrikes, regained control of the strategically vital provinces of Hadramout and Mahra on Friday and Saturday. The crisis has produced the most serious division in decades between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as long-standing policy differences surfaced, raising concerns about potential disruptions to the regional balance of power.