Guterres Sharply Criticizes STC Movements in Eastern Yemen, Labeling Them as “Dangerous Escalation”
Yemen Monitor / New York / Exclusive:
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has characterized recent military movements by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen’s eastern provinces as a “dangerous escalation,” warning that these “unilateral actions” obstruct the path to peace and increase the risks of national fragmentation and political deadlock.
Speaking to the press following a Security Council session on Wednesday, Guterres expressed deep concern over the STC’s military advance toward the Hadramout and Al-Mahrah governorates, asserting that such moves deviate from established consensus and push the country toward the brink.
He emphasized that Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be preserved in accordance with international frameworks, noting that attempting to impose new realities on the ground by force deepens social and political divisions while undermining UN-led mediation efforts.
Guterres called on the STC leadership to exercise maximum restraint and return to the negotiating table rather than engaging in actions that heighten security fragility, particularly in vital regions overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
He stressed that any sustainable solution to the Yemeni crisis must be achieved through a “negotiated political settlement” involving all parties, adding that political ambitions should not come at the expense of regional stability or the security of international waterways.
Furthermore, the Secretary-General urged regional actors to exert pressure for de-escalation and support a unified stance within the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). These remarks follow the UAE-backed STC’s recent occupied into Hadramout and Al-Mahrah—a move that has faced stiff opposition from the internationally recognized government and local tribes.
