Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
In a new political statement, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC)—which advocates for the secession of South Yemen from the North—announced the commencement of a two-year transition period. This period is to be followed by a referendum on self-determination, as part of what it described as a “phased and secure path” aimed at achieving the aspirations of the people of the South.
The Council explained that the transition period will be dedicated to launching a dialogue between the North and the South. It emphasized that this declaration would become effective immediately should there be a failure to respond to this call or if the Council’s forces are subjected to any military aggression.
During and leading up to this transition period, the STC called upon state institutions, government bodies, and local authorities to continue performing their duties, work toward normalizing public life, improve services, and ensure the regular payment of salaries. This is to be achieved by organizing a mechanism for revenue collection through the Central Bank in the temporary capital, Aden, acting as an independent central authority.
The Council affirmed its openness to dialogue and coordination with various national forces in the North to agree on appropriate steps and mechanisms based on common ground. It stressed that achieving the aspirations of the Southern people must occur through a “responsible path” that spares the country and the region from new conflicts and allows for the reorganization of political and institutional affairs on a balanced basis.
The statement noted that, from the Council’s perspective, this political declaration provides a clear roadmap that the regional and international community can support and build upon, ensuring a stable partnership during the transition while maintaining security and stability.
The STC reiterated that the issue of restoring what it calls the “Southern State” is the core of this announcement. It maintained that this approach is not a concession but an expression of popular will seeking to achieve rights through a legal framework without exposing security to additional risks.
Furthermore, the Council announced the adoption of a Constitutional Declaration for the restoration of the “Southern State,” to be officially proclaimed today. It is scheduled for implementation starting Sunday, January 2, 2028, with the caveat that it will enter into force immediately before that date in the event of non-responsiveness or if the South or its forces face military attacks.
The statement concluded that all options remain on the table for the Council—primarily this path—unless its demands are addressed within the specified timeframe and with the participation of relevant parties and the international community.
This statement by [STC Leader] Aidarous al-Zubaidi comes amid developments in the Wadi and Sahara regions of Hadramawt, specifically the Al-Khash’a area, where armed clashes have broken out between the government-affiliated “Nation’s Shield” forces and the STC. These clashes coincide with the handover of military sites previously under STC control.
According to sources, these confrontations erupted following military movements aimed at evicting STC forces from positions they had occupied since last December. Field sources also reported airstrikes targeting STC positions during these clashes.
Earlier, the Governor of Hadramawt, Salem al-Khanbashi, announced the start of a security operation to take over military sites in the province, asserting that the objective is to neutralize weapons and prevent the situation from sliding into chaos or escalation.
