DHAKA: A presidential panel has agreed to transform Yemen into a six-region federation as part of its political transition.

State news agency Saba reported, says Al Jazeera.

The final approval on creating a ‘federal state of six regions’ came at a meeting of a committee, headed by president Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and including representatives of Yemen’s main parties, Saba said on Monday.

Hadi formed the committee in late January at the end of a ‘national dialogue’ to decide on the number of regions, and to insert it into the text of a new constitution, to be drafted and voted on within a year.

The six agreed regions include four in the north, comprising Azal, Saba, Janad and Tahama, and two in the south, Aden and Hadramawt.

The southeastern Hadramawt province would include al-Mahra, Shebwa and the island of Socotra, while Saba comprises Bayda, Marib, Al-Jawf and Dhamar.

Azal would include the capital Sanaa, in addition to the provinces of Dhamar, Amran and Saada, a stronghold of Shia rebels, while Aden would comprise the capital of the former south, as well as Abyan, Lahej and Daleh, the news agency reported.

Janad would include Taez and Ibb, and Tahama also takes in Hudaydah, Rima, Mahwit and Hajja.

BDST: 2018 HRS, FEB 10, 2014