STC claims 14 billion riyals frozen in Aden bank accounts by Saudi-backed authorities

ADEN, June 20 (YPA) – The financial department of the recently “dissolved” Southern Transitional Council (STC), said on Friday that Saudi-backed authorities had frozen and withheld 14 billion riyals in an Aden-based bank account earmarked for funding STC-affiliated forces for October and November 2025.

In a statement, the so-called financial department said the amount was approved as entitlements for the forces but had not been disbursed after being seized by Saudi-backed authorities at the bank.

The statement described the funds as a “vested right, not a grant from anyone,” stressing that they are disbursed through official financial and administrative procedures, and suggesting that their withholding reflects a systematic Saudi policy aimed at starving STC forces financially since last year.

The freezing of funds allocated for UAE-backed forces comes after escalating tensions between Rashad al-Alimi, the head of “Presidential Leadership Council” and STC leader Eidrous al-Zubaidi at Al- Maashiq presidential palace in Aden.

Recently, the Attorney General in the Saudi-backed government in Aden, Qaher Mustafa, issued a decree ordering a comprehensive precautionary freeze on all funds and bank accounts belonging to the dissolved UAE-backed “Southern Transitional Council (STC).

The decision mandates all banks, financial institutions, and currency exchange firms to freeze the STC’s assets and prohibits any withdrawals, transfers, or financial transactions until further notice. The decree further directs the Central Bank of Aden to expedite the implementation and provide the prosecution with detailed statements regarding the STC’s accounts.

@E.Y.M