Thousands of supporters of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council gathered in Aden on Saturday, underscoring widening divisions within the separatist movement and escalating strains involving regional backers after recent clashes with Saudi Arabia-backed government forces.
The demonstrations took place in the Khor Maksar district, a long-standing STC stronghold, despite an official ban on protests issued a day earlier by authorities aligned with Yemen’s internationally backed government citing security concerns.
Protesters waved the flag of the former South Yemen and chanted slogans opposing Saudi Arabia and the central government, reflecting persistent demands for southern independence.
The rallies followed conflicting announcements over whether the STC intended to dissolve after suffering territorial setbacks in southern and eastern Yemen.
Crowds in Aden displayed posters of STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi, who left the country after failing to attend talks in Riyadh involving an STC delegation and Saudi officials.
One protester told AFP, “we want an independent state,” echoing long-standing separatist calls that have intensified over recent weeks.
Reuters witnesses reported chants calling for independence, while demonstrators framed the gathering as a popular reaffirmation of support for the STC.
The protests came after Saudi-backed forces retook areas including parts of Hadramout, al-Mahra, and key sites in Aden that the STC had seized late last year.
On Friday, an STC member announced in Riyadh that the group would disband, describing plans to shut down its offices amid internal disagreements and regional pressure.
The declaration was quickly contested by other STC officials, who said only the full council could make such a decision and later declared the announcement null and void.
The dispute has highlighted growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both key players in Yemen’s conflict and longtime allies against the Houthis.
Saudi-led forces accused the UAE of assisting al-Zubaidi’s departure on a flight tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi, an allegation the STC leader’s allies have not publicly addressed.
The STC said some of its members in Riyadh were being detained and pressured to issue statements, while reiterating calls for peaceful mass protests across southern cities.
Yemeni government forces warned they would act decisively against any actions seen as threatening public order, signaling continued volatility as political and regional rivalries intersect.