The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) of Yemen on Sunday rejected the recent appointments made by President of the Republic Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, threatening escalation if the president did not readdress his decisions.

On 15 January, Hadi issued a presidential decree appointing a new attorney general and Shura Council head for Yemen.

The STC, which is part of Yemen's new power-sharing government, in a statement described the president's decree as "unilateral" and "a flagrant departure from the Riyadh Agreement," calling on the agreement's sponsors to ensure its full implementation.

The STC vowed: "To take escalating steps in the event that the presidential decisions taken without prior agreement are not addressed."

Last December, the Yemeni president announced the formation of a new power-sharing government with the STC under Saudi auspices.