Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, the head of the National Assembly affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC), reiterated the Council’s stance toward its separatist project, considering citizens from the northern governorates in Hadramowt province as “residents”. This move effectively bypasses the Yemeni Constitution, the Riyadh Agreement, and the Declaration of the Transfer of Power.
During his meeting today, with a number of citizens from the northern governorates, whom STC media described as “residents” in Hadramowt Valley, Al-Kathiri stressed that the widespread circulation of “lies” about liquidations, arrests, or racist practices is pure fabrication, orchestrated by hostile parties seeking to destabilize security, sow chaos, and distort the image of the STC and the Southern Forces.
Al-Kathiri confirmed that the directives from STC President Aidaroos Al-Zubaidi are “clear and explicit,” calling for the provision of full protection and comprehensive safety for all he called “residents” from the north in Hadramowt and all southern governorates. He warned against any individual actions that harm social peace, emphasizing that they are rejected entirely.
Al-Kathiri clarified that the STC has exerted significant efforts to normalize life and establish security and stability following the “liberation” of Hadramowt Valley, and that these efforts will continue resolutely. He stressed that the law applies to everyone and that security is a guaranteed right for everyone living on the land of Hadramowt.
In recent days, the UAE-backed forces affiliated with the STC launched a new phase of “imposing control” over Hadramowt Valley and Desert, bypassing local and governmental authorities.
The leadership of these forces announced a package of “unilateral measures” including the establishment of security formations parallel to official agencies and the imposition of severe restrictions on residents and tribes under the pretext of “maintaining security,” concurrent with inflammatory rhetoric targeting the former government forces and labeling them as “occupation.”
The STC invaded Hadramowt Valley at the beginning of this month (December) after mobilizing its fighters from the “Triangle” region, which the tribes in Hadramowt considered a tribal invasion from Dhale and Yafa’. It has also rejected a Saudi mediation effort to withdraw its forces from Hadramowt and Al-Mahra and hand over its positions to “Nation Shield” forces.
