Yemen’s main southern group escalates rhetoric against government, sparking fears of division

By Mohammed Same and Mohammad Sio

SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL (AA) – Yemen’s main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has escalated its rhetoric against the internationally recognized government, dismissing local, regional and UN calls to de-escalate and withdraw from areas it recently seized in the country’s east, amid growing warnings of national fragmentation.

STC President Aidrous al-Zubaidi directly attacked the internationally recognized government, accusing it of abandoning its national responsibility to reclaim northern areas from the Houthi group.

Since Dec. 3, STC forces have taken control of Hadramout province following clashes with the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and government-aligned First Military Region forces. Four days later, STC forces extended control over Mahra province, which had been under government authority.

The takeover prompted mounting local and regional calls for STC forces to withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra, which together account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory, about 555,000 square kilometers.

The UN has warned that continued escalation could have serious consequences for Yemen, which is already facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises.

- Escalating rhetoric

According to the STC’s official website, Zubaidi met Wednesday with Dhamar Governor Ali al-Qawsi, who was appointed by the government, to discuss what he described as the need for unified national efforts to retake northern areas held by the Houthis.

During the meeting, Zubaidi claimed the government leadership has repeatedly failed to carry out its national responsibilities to liberate areas under Houthi control in the north.

He said factions within the Presidential Leadership Council were preparing for what he called a “decisive battle” to end Houthi control, while accusing the government of obstructing those efforts.

He also accused the government of abandoning efforts to liberate territory and instead fueling crises and divisions in what he described as “liberated” southern areas.

Local media described the remarks as the sharpest escalation in the STC’s rhetoric since it seized control of Hadramout and Mahra. The government had not commented on the statements.

Earlier this week, the STC announced the launch of a military operation in Hadramout, saying it aimed to sweep valleys and remote areas of “terrorist elements.”

The Hadramout Tribes Alliance warned of a potential explosion of tensions, accusing the STC of carrying out kidnappings and arrests targeting its opponents.

The alliance, formed in 2013, calls for autonomy for the province on Yemen’s Arabian Sea coast and is not aligned with either the STC or the government.

- Secessionist push

Despite repeated local and international emphasis on Yemen’s unity and stability, the STC has continued to signal to its supporters that it is moving toward separation from the north.

On Wednesday, STC National Assembly head Ali al-Kathiri told a gathering in Seiyun that the current phase requires preparation for declaring a southern state after securing and stabilizing Wadi Hadramout.

A day earlier, he told tribal leaders in the same region that the long-held goal of statehood was approaching and would mark a major shift toward fulfilling public aspirations.

The STC advocates the secession of southern Yemen, citing what it describes as long-standing marginalization of the south by successive governments. Yemeni authorities reject that claim and insist on preserving the country’s unity.

- Efforts to curb escalation

Amid regional diplomatic efforts, Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi met Wednesday with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi to discuss security and political developments in Hadramout and Mahra after the STC takeover.

Alimi briefed Albudaiwi on the situation in the two provinces and on Saudi-Emirati efforts to de-escalate tensions and restore stability, according to Yemen’s state-run SABA news agency. He praised the GCC’s role in backing Yemen’s peace process, from the Gulf Initiative and the Riyadh Agreement to the consultations that led to the transfer of power and the formation of the Presidential Leadership Council in 2022.

He said gains from the Riyadh Agreement require collective efforts to protect them, foremost by restoring state institutions and achieving peace and stability nationwide. Alimi reiterated the council’s commitment to addressing the southern issue as a just national cause within the framework of the Riyadh consultations and agreed references.

The Riyadh Agreement, signed in November 2019 under Saudi sponsorship, called for restructuring military and security forces under the defense and interior ministries and for rejecting regional and sectarian divisions.

The GCC said the meeting also reviewed Gulf-Yemen relations and stressed support for efforts to strengthen security and stability. It reaffirmed the bloc’s backing of the Presidential Leadership Council and a comprehensive political solution that preserves Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday of what he described as dangerous developments in eastern Yemen.

“As I told the Security Council, unilateral actions will not clear a path to peace. They deepen divisions, harden positions, and raise the risk of wider escalation and further fragmentation,” Guterres said in his comments cited by a UN statement.

He warned that a full resumption of hostilities could have serious ramifications on regional security, including in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate and resolve disputes through dialogue.