The Yemeni government said on Tuesday it was ready to confront an "armed rebellion" by separatists in the south, accusing the group of refusing to de-escalate the situation after declaring self-rule last month.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) declared self-rule in Aden and nearby areas on April 25, a move that threatened to renew conflict with the Saudi-backed government, its nominal ally in a coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis.

Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hadhrami said the STC had rejected calls by the government and the international community to reverse its declaration of self-rule.

Reuters quotes al-Hadhrami to say the army will do "everything necessary to preserve the state, its institutions, and the safety of its citizens."

The foreign minister urged the group to implement the Riyadh pact, a power-sharing deal brokered by Saudi Arabia in November to defuse tension after the STC briefly took over Aden in August.

Earlier, STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi called for southern forces to be "ready", urging people in the region to "defend their national gains."

Source(s): RT