STC head waves dangerous options towards “Hadramout Council”

ADEN, June 22 (YPA) – The UAE-funded head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, expressed reservations about the announcement of the so-called “Hadramout National Council,” which was announced last Tuesday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Al-Zubaidi said, during a symposium hosted by the British Royal Institution, Chatham House, that “full details about the formation of the Hadramout Council are still not available,” referring to the STC’s disagreement with the formation of the council.”

“The STC has adopted the option of dialogue with all components in the south and started the first phase with entities that believe in the inevitability of restoring what he called the southern state, and will continue dialogue with the rest of the other forces,” he added.

Some considered Al-Zubaidi’s statement as a veiled threat by the STC, stating Abu Dhabi may resort to the military option instead of the dialogue that al-Zoubaidi spoke of.

Last week, head of the Center for Political Studies in Abu Dhabi, Khaled Al-Shamiri, warned the STC, of the possibility that the “Hadramout Council” would be a prelude to similar councils that might reach Aden and withdraw control over the STC in southern Yemen.

AA