Secrets behind STC’s strength in defying Riyadh’s hegemony in south, east Yemen
SANAA, April 20 (YPA) – The defiance exhibited by UAE-backed factions in southern and eastern Yemen cannot be understood outside the context of Saudi Arabia’s tacit approval of efforts to partition the country.
Observers argue that the escalating movements of the UAE-aligned Southern Transitional Council (STC) are more than just a reaction to decrees aimed at dissolving the Council or prosecuting its leadership for “high treason”—as per the orders of Rashad al-Alimi, the Saudi-backed President of the Presidential Leadership Council. Rather, the STC’s actions appear to stem from a position of peer-to-peer rivalry and a direct challenge to Saudi hegemony in the southern and eastern regions.
There is a consensus among analysts that the STC leadership’s erratic behavior should not be viewed as a genuine challenge to Saudi Arabia. Instead, it is seen as an expression of Saudi satisfaction with components that advocate for the division of Yemen. This implicit approval is evident in Riyadh’s perceived “laxity” toward the rebellious maneuvers carried out by the STC across southern and eastern provinces.
“A New Phase of Escalation”
On Sunday, Dhalea province—the primary stronghold of the STC—witnessed a new phase of escalation. UAE-backed factions expelled the Saudi-appointed governor, marking a precedent in the series of ongoing confrontations between the proxies of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi since the latter’s reported sidelined role by Saudi Arabia last January.
The expulsion of the Saudi-aligned governor comes amid a broader wave of provocations by UAE-backed groups, which have escalated to the point of protesters burning and trampling upon images of the Saudi King and Crown Prince during STC-led demonstrations.
“Calculated Defiance or Orchestrated Play?”
It appears that the actions of these UAE-backed factions are merely precursors in a continuous chain of events. Analysts do not rule out the possibility that Riyadh may eventually use these developments to claim that these factions have a “right” to partition Yemen, arguing that they represent a formidable de facto power on the ground that cannot be suppressed or ignored.
This raises questions about the STC’s sudden transformation from a “paper tiger”—which failed to withstand Saudi pressure during its previous attempt to sweep through Hadramout—into a “bogeyman” that Saudi Arabia seemingly cannot restrain. This shift is particularly striking when considering that Saudi Arabia may lack the political will to oppose broader US-Israeli inclinations toward the partitioning of Yemen.
YPA