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ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 17-- Troops belonging to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) demanding the secession of southern Yemeni regions withdrew on Saturday from a number of government institutions in the port city of Aden after a week of seizure. According to Aden-based officials, the withdrawal of the STC forces from Yemeni government institutions, including the Central Bank of Yemen and the cabinet headquarters, as well as from the judicial compound in the strategic port city, came after successful mediation efforts conducted by the Saudi-led coalition. A military source told Xinhua that "troops of the STC have withdrawn from a number of government offices in Aden, and allowed employees to resume their work after one week of seizure." The source said on condition of anonymity that pro-government security forces received the task of protecting the government institutions following the withdrawal of the STC forces that headed back towards their previous sites. Earlier this week, the STC forces managed to seize full control over all the neighborhoods and entrances of Aden following four days of fighting, which the internationally-recognized Yemeni government described as "a coup against legitimate authorities." The STC forces seized the country's presidential palace and all the military bases of Yemen's government forces that failed to repulse the attacks launched by well-trained pro-STC southern forces that were recently established to fight the Houthi rebels in Yemen. | 
