ADEN (Debriefer)--The southern transitional council on Tuesday suspended its participation in talks with the internationally recognised government on the implementation of the Riyadh agreement as fierce clashes renewed between the forces of the two sides in the southern province of Abyan.
The two sides agreed in July to a mechanism to accelerate the agreement which was signed late last year and have since been in talks on forming a new government and ending tensions and violence in the south.
The council's negotiation delegation told Saudi Arabia it was leaving Riyadh and that the council was no longer committed to a ceasefire in Abyan following a cowardly attack on its forces, media outlets loyal to the council said.
We will not wait forever for the new government to be formed, the delegation told Saudi Arabia, accusing parties in the government of obstructing the implementation of the agreement, according to the reports.
Member of the council, Salim Al-Awlaki, wrote on Twitter: "The leadership of the southern transitional council has acted responsibly and made concessions to form the new government, but the other side has bet on time to prepare for a new round of war".
Early today, the forces of the two sides exchanged heavy fire in the areas of Al-Tariyah and Al-Sheikh Salim east of Abyan's capital Zinjibar as more STC reinforcements arrived, local sources said.
On Monday, the council said 6 of its fighters were killed and 8 others injured in clashes with the government forces in the area of Al-Tariyah that coincided with the arrival of a Saudi committee to oversee the fragile ceasefire in the province.
