Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), which had pushed for the secession of the country's southern provinces, has officially declared its dissolution and the closure of all its structures and offices, according to a statement from the group reported by Yemen's SABA news agency.
The statement announced: "We declare the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council, all of its primary and auxiliary bodies and institutions, as well as the closure of all its offices inside the country and abroad. We also state our intention to pursue the just cause of the South by preparing for a general conference of southern forces under the auspices of the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia]."
Council leaders said they had met to assess "the recent tragic events in the Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces," which caused "serious and painful consequences." They stressed that the STC was created to defend southern Yemenis' interests and represent them in restoring statehood — not to "seize power or monopolize decision-making."
The dissolution was read by a member of the STC delegation currently in Saudi Arabia. However, STC spokesperson Anwar al-Tamimi rejected the move, insisting that any decision on the council's future must involve its full presidium led by Aidarus al-Zoubaidi.
"This will happen immediately after the release of the STC delegation currently in Riyadh," he said on the group's Facebook page.
Escalating Crisis in Southern Yemen
The announcement follows weeks of turmoil. In early December 2025, UAE-backed STC forces seized Yemen's eastern Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces, prompting Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi to request Saudi-led coalition support. On December 30, he declared a 90-day state of emergency and annulled Yemen's defense pact with the UAE, whose forces withdrew on January 2.
That day, the STC launched a two-year transition toward declaring an independent "South Arabia" with Aden as capital. On January 3, al-Alimi proposed a Riyadh conference for southern factions; government forces claimed to retake Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra as STC leaders welcomed peace talks. But on January 7, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said al-Zoubaidi — scheduled for Riyadh talks — vanished and reportedly fled to the UAE via Somalia. Pro-government forces then secured central Aden after STC withdrawal.
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Photo: Bkar6190/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS