RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Yemeni politicians met Sunday in Saudi Arabia’s capital in their first public gathering since a southern separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates was disbanded following weeks of clashes.

The meeting in Riyadh discussed the future of southern Yemen ahead of a Saudi-sponsored conference, the dates of which haven’t been announced yet.

The separatist demands in southern Yemen are one element in a complex civil war that has gripped the county since 2014, when Houthi rebels backed by Iran descended from their northern stronghold and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government to flee first southward, then into exile in Saudi Arabia. The war involves a complex interplay of sectarian and tribal grievances and the involvement of regional powers.

“This meeting expresses a unified southern will, represented by southern leaders from all segments of society and governorates, seeking a just, secure and guaranteed solution to our cause,” the politicians said in a statement following their meeting.

Saudi Arabia had bombed the positions of the now-dissolved Southern Transitional Council after the separatist group refused to withdraw from areas it........

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