Yemen: Exiled PM Khaled Bahah back to form government

Soon after pro-government forces drove Houthi rebels from the strategically important port city of Aden, exiled Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah has returned to the war-torn country along with numerous members of the defunct cabinet to form the government. Yemen's President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi along with Bahah had fled to Riyadh six months back, after Shi'ite rebels gained control of Aden.

Hadi, Bahah and other members of the cabinet were forced out of the capital Sana'a by the rebels, as al-Qaeda and Islamic State (Isis) rebels were wreaking havoc in the Arab world's poorest country. They then moved to Aden and made it their temporary capital. However, the Houthis advanced to the port city, defeated government forces and took control of Aden.

As Hadi has not been seen even once since his fleeing, and as Bahah has returned, political analysts suggest that the exiled president could be replaced. Hadi has been accused of not retaliating when the Houthi rebels were advancing.

However, Bahah had visited Aden last month and now that he has returned along with the cabinet ministers, it is evident that they will form the government soon. "Their return sends a message to both the inside and outside [world] that all the Yemeni files will be in the hands of a legitimate government on Yemeni lands," said government spokesman Rajeh Badi.

"The level of destruction in Aden and other southern regions was huge and that government capabilities had collapsed, so officials would need help from their Gulf allies and other countries to address the humanitarian needs," he added.

But this may not be an easy task for the government. A political analyst in Sana'a told the LA Times: "Almost every day there is an incident of killing, shooting or clashes. Crime has increased, security is deteriorating and basic services are not back." While some people have complained of armed men on the streets creating panic, on 16 September, assailants set fire to a church and assassinated high-ranking military officers, reports said.