Saudi Arabia sent military reinforcements into the southern Yemeni city of Aden yesterday, local sources said.

In the past three days, forces of the so-called “security belt” – supported by the UAE in Aden – began a campaign of arrests and forced deportation of citizens from northern provinces, hours after the Houthis targeted a military parade, killing a senior military commander.

Saudi military vehicles and crews were seen heading from the province of Shabwa towards Aden, local sources and witnesses said.

They added that more security forces will be sent in particular those to join the presidential guards which is led by Brigadier Nasser Abd Rabbuh, the son of incumbent President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

The move is being seen as proof that Saudi Arabia is looking to expand its military presence in Aden as the UAE announced it plans to reduce its presence in the southern city.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of an Arab coalition fighting in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthis and forces loyal to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The coalition entered the war in 2015 to reinstate the UN-backed President Hadi. However the UAE has been found to be backing the Southern Transitional Council in an effort to split Yemen in to two countries, North and South, contrary to the objectives of the coalition.

READ: The UAE’s withdrawal from Yemen