In Yemen, authorities in five southern provinces today rejected a separatist group's claim to self rule. The government said, local and security authorities in the provinces of Hadramawt, Abyan, Shabwa, al-Mahra and the remote island of Socotra dismissed the move as a clear and definite coup.<br />'' <br />'' Some of the provinces also issued their own statements condemning it.<br />''  <br />'' Earlier, the separatists' Southern Transitional Council, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, scrapped a peace deal with the Saudi-backed government and declared a state of emergency overnight.<br />''  <br />'' The separatists had said, they would self-govern the key southern port city of Aden and other southern provinces, accusing the government of corruption and mismanagement.<br />''  <br />'' Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of the country's north, including the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened against the rebels on the side of the government the following year.<br />''  <br />'' The conflict has killed over 100,000 people and leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages.<br />