It's certainly not the end of Yemen's civil war, but it is a step toward ending -- temporarily at least -- one of its battles. According to sources speaking Oct. 24, the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the internationally recognized government of President Abd Rabboh Mansour Hadi appear very close to sealing a deal to end their months-old rift. Sources close to the Saudi-mediated talks in Jeddah said the two sides had agreed to a draft and could ink a deal in the coming week in Riyadh. The agreement will reportedly grant greater southern representation in the Yemeni government, with half the ministers set to come from the north and half from the south. More notably -- especially as there are already Yemenis with southern roots in the government -- the draft agreement envisions the incorporation of STC militias into Yemen's official security forces. In addition, the agreement calls...
