ADEN (Realist English). The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, announced on Friday that it will begin a two-year transitional period culminating in a referendum on independence for southern Yemen, amid deadly fighting with Saudi Arabia and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
In a televised address, STC president Aidaros Alzubidi said the council was launching a transitional phase and called on the international community to sponsor dialogue between political actors in both southern and northern Yemen. He warned, however, that the STC could move to declare independence immediately if talks fail or if southern territories and forces come under renewed attack.
The announcement followed a sharp escalation in violence in Hadhramaut province, where Saudi-backed National Shield Forces deployed against STC-affiliated units. According to regional media and STC officials, the clashes triggered Saudi air strikes, killing at least 29 STC fighters and wounding more than 20 others.
Hadhramaut’s governor Salem al-Khanbashi urged the separatists to lay down their arms, saying that while southern grievances are legitimate, they should be addressed through dialogue rather than military confrontation.
The fighting has exposed a deepening rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, longtime partners and US allies that intervened in Yemen a decade ago against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which still controls much of the north, including the capital Sanaa. Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, while the UAE has supported the STC as a dominant force in the south.
The STC’s push for a referendum underscores the growing fragmentation of Yemen and raises the prospect of a formal split, even as the country remains mired in conflict and regional rivalries continue to shape the battlefield.