An archive picture of a damaged building in Sana'a, Yemen (Picture: PA).

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said southern separatists have begun withdrawing from positions they seized from the government in the southern port city of Aden.

The Southern Transitional Council, backed by the United Arab Emirates, had wrested control of Aden on Saturday from forces loyal to the internationally-backed government after four days of fighting.

The fighting exposed a major rift in the coalition, which has been at war with Iran-aligned rebels since 2015.