Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council rejects withdrawal from east and signals move towards statehood

Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) has rejected renewed calls to withdraw its forces from the eastern governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, saying it is nearing what it described as the “declaration of statehood” in the south.

The remarks were made on Saturday evening by Ali al-Kathiri, head of the STC’s National Assembly, during a meeting with community leaders and dignitaries from the Rakhya district in the city of Seiyun in Hadramawt, according to a statement published on the council’s official website.

Al-Kathiri said the south is approaching a decisive moment, adding that “the declaration of statehood is close and this hope is almost complete”.

The Southern Transitional Council argues that successive Yemeni governments have politically and economically marginalised the southern regions, and has long called for secession from the north. Yemeni authorities, however, reject these claims and insist on the unity of the country, which was formed on 22 May 1990 following the unification of North and South Yemen.

Al-Kathiri stressed the importance of unity and the rejection of discord, particularly in the districts of Wadi Hadramawt. He called for strengthening the internal front to prevent chaos and divisions, linking this to the council’s refusal to withdraw its forces from the region.

He pointed to what he described as recent successes in enhancing internal security, including preventing the carrying of weapons, curbing celebratory gunfire, and involving residents in protecting their areas.

Since early December, STC forces have taken control of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, which together account for roughly half of Yemen’s territory, covering an area of about 555,000 square kilometres.

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