Following Dissolution Order: “Aden STC” Chooses Rebellion, Escalates Under the Guise of “Mandate”
Yemen Monitor / Aden / Exclusive:
The so-called “Local Leadership” of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Aden has announced its rebellion against the STC Presidency’s decisions to dissolve the council, clinging instead to “de facto” legitimacy.
The meeting held in Aden confirmed the insistence of STC leaders—who gained control over military camps and retained security forces and administrative positions in Aden, Lahj, Al-Dhale, Abyan, and Shabwa—on using this power against the will of the State and the supporting Coalition.
The statement issued by the meeting described the Saudi-led Arab Coalition’s response to the Presidential Leadership Council’s (PLC) calls to host a dialogue as “foreign tutelage.” It insisted on escalation and employed the term “popular mandate,” referring to the support for an entity that continues to wield military and security power. Furthermore, the statement described participants in the ongoing dialogue as “detainees” and demanded the release of the “Council’s delegation in Riyadh.”
The statement, published on the official website, represents a direct challenge to the South-to-South dialogue efforts initiated by southern leaders and supported by the Head of the PLC. The PLC head had requested Saudi Arabia host the dialogue to merge factions and unify the front against the Houthis; consequently, the STC Presidency had announced the council’s dissolution to pave the way for the dialogue’s success.
This escalation follows the flight of Aidarous al-Zoubaidi and several high-ranking leaders to the United Arab Emirates. Observers view this move as a clear challenge and a determined effort to thwart attempts to unify political components, impose State authority, and end the proliferation of military and security formations outside official frameworks.
The meeting is also seen as a new escalation leading toward an inevitable clash with PLC member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami (Abu Zara’a), who has been tasked with sensitive files to impose State prestige and secure the capital. Riyadh considers these measures a top priority for implementing military integration agreements.
