Anti-Saudi protests erupt in Shabwa amid escalation calls by STC

SHABWA, July 13 (YPA) – A protest demonstration took place on Monday in the city of Azzan, located in the oil-rich Shabwa governorate, expressing opposition to what demonstrators termed Saudi “guardianship and occupation.”

The protest aligns with recent field escalation measures announced by the UAE-backed “dissolved” Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Demonstrators, who gathered from the governorate’s southern districts—including Radhom, Mayfa’ah, Al-Rawdah, and Habban—marched through the main streets of Azzan. Participants carried banners and chanted slogans condemning Saudi violations against residents of Shabwa and other controlled governorates. The protesters demanded an immediate end to the Saudi military presence and the removal of external oversight in these areas.

During the rally, protesters chanted anti-Saudi slogans, including “O Saudi, O liar… you are a supporter of terrorism,” explicitly accusing Riyadh of backing militant groups operating across Shabwa, Abyan, and Hadramout.

The demonstrations, where portraits of STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi were displayed, follow escalatory steps announced by the council on Sunday. Similar public protests have reportedly emerged in Aden and neighboring regions to reject the Saudi military and political presence. 

YPA