The Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen announced Tuesday that its forces have completed their control over Al-Mahra Governorate and Wadi Hadramawt in the eastern part of the country. This announcement comes as a Saudi delegation arrived in Hadramawt Governorate to mediate and de-escalate tensions.
During an expanded meeting held in Aden, the interim capital, STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi informed attendees of what he described as the victories of the Southern Armed Forces (affiliated with the STC) in completing the liberation of Wadi Hadramawt and Al-Mahra. The meeting, according to the STC’s website, included members of the STC Presidency, heads of the General Secretariat, and heads of committees of the National Assembly and the Advisory Council.
Al-Zubaidi, who leads the STC – a group advocating for the secession of southern Yemen – and is one of the seven deputies to Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council representing the internationally recognized government, stated that “the South today stands before a fateful and existential stage imposed by the realities of the political and military landscape. The people of the South have made great sacrifices to reach this decisive moment.” He further indicated that the next phase would focus on building the institutions of what he called the new Arab South state.
Last Sunday, the STC seized control of large areas of Al-Mahra Governorate after deploying significant forces to the region. Al-Mahra is the second largest governorate in Yemen after Hadramawt and includes Al-Ghaydah International Airport and several seaports.
Unilateral Actions
There has been no immediate comment from government authorities regarding al-Zubaidi’s statements. However, on Monday, al-Alimi accused the STC of taking unilateral actions that pose a direct threat to the unity of security and military decision-making, according to the official Yemeni News Agency (Saba).
Meanwhile, the visiting Saudi delegation, led by Major General Mohammed al-Qahtani, met with dignitaries from the Wadi and Desert districts of Hadramawt after completing meetings in Mukalla and the coastal districts. According to Saba, al-Qahtani stated that an agreement was reached on a set of measures “to support security and stability and to de-escalate the situation.”
