Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council says close to declaring statehood in south
‘The south is approaching a decisive moment embodied by the declaration of a state, and this hope has become nearly complete,’ says head of STC’s National Assembly
Mohammed Sameai and Betul Yilmaz
‘The south is approaching a decisive moment embodied by the declaration of a state, and this hope has become nearly complete,’ says head of STC’s National Assembly
Mohammed Sameai and Betul Yilmaz
|28.12.2025 - TRT/AA
Yemen (Photo by Said Ibicioglu)
SANAA, Yemen/ ISTANBUL
Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) said that it is getting closer to declaring an independent state in the south.
“The south is approaching a decisive moment embodied by the declaration of a state, and this hope has become nearly complete,” Ali al-Kathiri, head of the STC’s National Assembly, said on Saturday during a meeting with local dignitaries and tribal figures from Hadramout, as cited by the council’s official website.
He called for “fortifying the internal front against any chaos or divisions in order to preserve the achievements made,” he added.
Addressing local and regional calls for the withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen, Kathiri claimed that the STC “has not attacked anyone.”
“The people of the south are defending their land, which they liberated,” he said.
Kathiri expressed willingness to “maintain relations with brothers in the Arab Coalition countries, foremost among them Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.”
He, however, expressed rejection of “any attempts to break the will of the people of the south by parties that failed to liberate their own areas and are seeking to liquidate the cause of the southern people,” in reference to the internationally recognized government fighting the Houthi group.
There was no immediate comment from the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia or the UAE on the comments.
On Friday evening, Hadramout witnessed a new military escalation that resulted in casualties during clashes between STC forces and the Hadramout Tribes Alliance, which calls for self-rule in the province.
Subsequently, Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi called on the Saudi-led coalition to take all necessary measures to protect civilians in Hadramout and support the army in enforcing de-escalation.
He also renewed his demand for the immediate withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramout and Mahra.
Since Dec. 3, the STC forces have taken control of parts of Hadramout following clashes with the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and government-aligned First Military Region forces. Four days later, STC forces expanded their control to Mahra, which had been under government authority.
The STC repeatedly claims that successive governments have politically and economically marginalized southern regions and calls for their separation from the north—claims rejected by the Yemeni authorities, as they insist on preserving the country’s territorial unity.
On May 22, 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic (North) unified with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South) to form the Republic of Yemen.
SANAA, Yemen/ ISTANBUL
Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) said that it is getting closer to declaring an independent state in the south.
“The south is approaching a decisive moment embodied by the declaration of a state, and this hope has become nearly complete,” Ali al-Kathiri, head of the STC’s National Assembly, said on Saturday during a meeting with local dignitaries and tribal figures from Hadramout, as cited by the council’s official website.
He called for “fortifying the internal front against any chaos or divisions in order to preserve the achievements made,” he added.
Addressing local and regional calls for the withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen, Kathiri claimed that the STC “has not attacked anyone.”
“The people of the south are defending their land, which they liberated,” he said.
Kathiri expressed willingness to “maintain relations with brothers in the Arab Coalition countries, foremost among them Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.”
He, however, expressed rejection of “any attempts to break the will of the people of the south by parties that failed to liberate their own areas and are seeking to liquidate the cause of the southern people,” in reference to the internationally recognized government fighting the Houthi group.
There was no immediate comment from the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia or the UAE on the comments.
On Friday evening, Hadramout witnessed a new military escalation that resulted in casualties during clashes between STC forces and the Hadramout Tribes Alliance, which calls for self-rule in the province.
Subsequently, Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi called on the Saudi-led coalition to take all necessary measures to protect civilians in Hadramout and support the army in enforcing de-escalation.
He also renewed his demand for the immediate withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramout and Mahra.
Since Dec. 3, the STC forces have taken control of parts of Hadramout following clashes with the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and government-aligned First Military Region forces. Four days later, STC forces expanded their control to Mahra, which had been under government authority.
The STC repeatedly claims that successive governments have politically and economically marginalized southern regions and calls for their separation from the north—claims rejected by the Yemeni authorities, as they insist on preserving the country’s territorial unity.
On May 22, 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic (North) unified with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South) to form the Republic of Yemen.
Saudi defence minister urges Yemen’s STC to withdraw “peacefully” from seized provinces, Hadramout and al-Mahra.
Forces of Yemen's main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council, arrive in a mountainous area where they are launching a military operation in the southern province of Abyan, Yemen [File: Reuters/Stringer]
By Al Jazeera and News Agencies
Published On 27 Dec 2025
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it will respond to any separatist military movements that undermine de-escalation efforts in the southern region, as Riyadh doubles down on calls for the group to “peacefully” withdraw from recently seized eastern provinces.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said on X on Saturday that “it’s time” for troops from the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) to “let reason prevail by withdrawing from the two provinces and doing so peacefully”.
Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said “any military movements that violate these [de-escalation] efforts will be dealt with directly and immediately in order to protect civilian lives and ensure the success of restoring calm,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Al-Maliki also accused the STC separatists of “serious and horrific human rights violations against civilians”, without providing evidence.
The statements came a day after the STC accused Saudi Arabia of launching air strikes on separatist positions in Yemen’s Hadramout province, and after Washington called for restraint in the rapidly escalating conflict.
Earlier this month, forces aligned to the STC took over large chunks from the Saudi-backed government in the provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra. The STC and the government have been allies for years in the fight against the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
Abdullah al-Alimi, a member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, the governing body of the internationally recognised government, welcomed the Saudi defence minister’s remarks, considering them to “clearly reflect the kingdom’s steadfast stance and sincere concern for Yemen’s security and stability”, he said on X.
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said after an emergency meeting late on Friday that STC movements posed “serious violations against civilians”.
The STC, which has previously received military and financial backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is seeking to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen. The group warned on Friday that they were undeterred after strikes it blamed on Saudi Arabia hit their positions.
Diplomacy, de-escalation?
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “We urge restraint and continued diplomacy, with a view to reaching a lasting solution.”
Al-Maliki also accused the STC separatists of “serious and horrific human rights violations against civilians”, without providing evidence.
The statements came a day after the STC accused Saudi Arabia of launching air strikes on separatist positions in Yemen’s Hadramout province, and after Washington called for restraint in the rapidly escalating conflict.
Earlier this month, forces aligned to the STC took over large chunks from the Saudi-backed government in the provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra. The STC and the government have been allies for years in the fight against the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
Abdullah al-Alimi, a member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, the governing body of the internationally recognised government, welcomed the Saudi defence minister’s remarks, considering them to “clearly reflect the kingdom’s steadfast stance and sincere concern for Yemen’s security and stability”, he said on X.
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said after an emergency meeting late on Friday that STC movements posed “serious violations against civilians”.
The STC, which has previously received military and financial backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is seeking to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen. The group warned on Friday that they were undeterred after strikes it blamed on Saudi Arabia hit their positions.
Diplomacy, de-escalation?
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “We urge restraint and continued diplomacy, with a view to reaching a lasting solution.”
Azerbaijan, meanwhile, said it welcomed efforts led by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE to de-escalate ongoing tensions in Yemen.
Following Friday’s raids, Yemen’s government urged the Saudi-led coalition to support its forces in Hadramout, after separatists seized most of the country’s largest province.
The government asked the coalition to “take all necessary military measures to protect innocent Yemeni civilians in Hadramout province and support the armed forces”, the official Yemeni news agency said.
A Yemeni military official said on Friday that about 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border but had not been given orders to advance on separatist-held territory. The areas where they were deployed are at the edges of territory seized in recent weeks by the STC.
Separatist advances have added pressure on ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, close allies who support rival groups within Yemen’s government.
On Friday, the UAE welcomed Saudi efforts to support security in Yemen, as the two Gulf allies sought to present a united front.
Yemen’s government is a patchwork of groups that includes the separatists, and is held together by shared opposition to the Houthis.
The Houthis pushed the government out of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and secured control over most of the north.
Following Friday’s raids, Yemen’s government urged the Saudi-led coalition to support its forces in Hadramout, after separatists seized most of the country’s largest province.
The government asked the coalition to “take all necessary military measures to protect innocent Yemeni civilians in Hadramout province and support the armed forces”, the official Yemeni news agency said.
A Yemeni military official said on Friday that about 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border but had not been given orders to advance on separatist-held territory. The areas where they were deployed are at the edges of territory seized in recent weeks by the STC.
Separatist advances have added pressure on ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, close allies who support rival groups within Yemen’s government.
On Friday, the UAE welcomed Saudi efforts to support security in Yemen, as the two Gulf allies sought to present a united front.
Yemen’s government is a patchwork of groups that includes the separatists, and is held together by shared opposition to the Houthis.
The Houthis pushed the government out of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and secured control over most of the north.
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