Saudi-Yemeni Border Dispute (1934 - 2000)

The Saudi-Yemeni border dispute goes back before the Treaty of Taif signing in 1934 which ceded the provinces of Asir, Najran and Jazan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after a brief border war. However, the Treaty did not demarcate a large stretch of the 1,300-mile border between the two countries. Moreover, none of the regimes of the Yemeni Republic (North Yemen) following the 1962 revolution recognised the Taif Treaty. In 1973 a joint communique regarding the border was signed but subsequently fell through. Tensions further increased after Saudi Arabia expelled over 1 million Yemeni migrant workers following Yemen’s support for Iraq in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Talks in 1992 on the border and subsequent provisional agreements fell through. In 1994 and 1995 attacks on Saudi border posts occurred during and after the Yemen Civil War, when Saudi Arabia supported the Socialist South. Again, in 1995, a memorandum of understanding was signed in order to resolve the issue peacefully. However, the conflict escalated in May 1998, when a Saudi outpost was attacked on a disputed Island in the Red Sea. Saudi forces retaliated in a pitched battle on a Yemeni contingent on Duwaima Island in July. The conflict ended following the 'International Boundary Treaty' in June 2000 and entered into force a month later. With this treaty Yemen finally formally recognised the Treaty of Taif to resolve the boundary line. In return, Saudi Arabia agreed to relinquish its additional land and maritime territorial claims outside the 1934 boundary line.

Yemeni Wa’ila tribes living on the borders, however, do not acknowledge the Treaty. They accuse Saudi-Arabia of confiscating their lands in the regions of Sallah, Qafrat Sallah, Khubbash. In June 2006 the tribes announced they would resort to force to regain the territories if not being taken seriously, and warned the Yemeni government against compromises.