STC sparks Riyadh’s concerns with preparations for massive protests in southern Yemen

ADEN, Aug. 24 (YPA) – The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has announced wide-scale preparations for unprecedented public demonstrations scheduled for September 1 in Aden and other southern Yemeni governorates.

The STC opposes Saudi policies and agendas in Aden and surrounding regions, calling for an end to foreign intervention and guardianship, as well as rejecting moves to dismantle STC-aligned factions under the pretext of “integration and restructuring.”

Timed to coincide with “Army Day,” the planned protests aim to counter measures driven by Riyadh to undermine on-the-ground control and dissolve STC forces.

During mobilization meetings held by STC leadership in Aden and branch offices across southern and eastern governorates, STC Presidium member Waddah Al-Halimi stated that the factions represent a “red line” that must not be crossed.

Al-Halimi claimed that STC forces face systematic plots aimed at dismantling their structure and sidelining senior commanders, stressing the need to preserve operational cohesion against external pressures.

These popular and military mobilizations come as a direct response to measures linked to Saudi efforts to restructure southern armed groups following airstrikes in Hadramout valley, which have sparked widespread public discontent and rejection of foreign mandates.

YPA