Aden: Yemen's main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), continues to ignore government calls to withdraw from the eastern provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, and has launched a new military operation in the southern province of Abyan amid rising tensions in the war-torn country. The STC has controlled Hadramout since December 3 following clashes with the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and the First Military Region forces.
According to Anadolu Agency, four days after gaining control of Hadramout, the council extended its influence to Al-Mahra, which had been under government forces. The STC-affiliated Security Belt Forces announced a new military operation in Abyan, aimed at disrupting supply lines for alleged terrorist elements in the region.
Meanwhile, STC President Aidrous al-Zubaidi met with Parliament Speaker Sultan al-Burkani in Aden, advocating for a battle against the Houthis. The STC leadership also labeled the First Military Region forces as an 'occupation' in Wadi Hadramout, although there has been no government response to the meeting's content.
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms reported documenting 4,071 violations by STC forces in Hadramout. These included 35 soldiers killed, 56 wounded, seven prisoners executed, and 268 civilians arrested. The violations also involved looting of homes and shops, and the displacement of approximately 3,500 people. The organization urged the STC to cease violations and conduct an independent investigation into these actions.
The STC, founded in 2017, seeks southern Yemen's secession and a return to the pre-1990 political state, citing marginalization by successive governments, which authorities deny. Attempts to secure peace have failed amidst continued conflict between government forces and the Houthi group.
Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi recently called for the STC's withdrawal from Hadramout and Al-Mahrah, describing it as essential for normalizing conditions and fostering growth. The Hadramout Elite Forces, aligned with the STC, control coastal cities like Mukalla, while the internationally recognized government holds Marib and Taiz.
Yemen unified in May 1990, but ongoing political disputes and grievances in the south have fueled renewed secessionist movements, particularly after the civil war's onset. Despite regional and international efforts, peace remains elusive as the conflict persists between government forces and the Houthi group, dominating much of northern Yemen.