The Southern Transitional Council is a secessionist organization in Yemen. The 26 members of the STC include the governors of five southern governorates and two government ministers. It was formed by a faction of the Southern Movement, also known as al-Hirak al-Janoubi. The Southern Movement was established in 2007, during the term of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, and it has called for and worked toward the separation of southern Yemen from the rest of the nation. Declared on 11 May 2017, the council is headed by the former Governor of Aden, Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, as president, with former-minister of state Hani Bin Breik as vice-president. The formation of the council was authorized a week earlier by the Historic Aden Declaration announced at a rally protesting the dismissal of al-Zoubaidi from his post as governor. The STC claims to rule most of the territory in southern Yemen.
History
On April 27, 2017, a presidential decree was given by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi dismissing Aidarus al-Zoubaidi from his post as governor of Aden, due to his close ties with the UAE whom President Hadi described as “acting like occupiers” in the city. This was met with large demonstrations in the city in support of the deposed but popular Zoubaidi. With the help and support of the UAE, the STC was formed on May 11, 2017 with Aidarus al-Zoubaidi as its leader. Immediately, President Hadi called the council illegitimate. in 2019. Beginning on 28 January 2018, separatists loyal to the STC seized control of the Yemeni government headquarters in Aden in a coup d'état against the Hadi government. In January 2018, as the head of the STC, Aidarus al-Zoubaidi announced a state of emergency in Aden and that "the STC has begun the process of overthrowing Hadi’s rule over the South". On 27 August 2019, tensions continued to escalate in southern Yemen after the UAE-backed Security Belt Forces lost territories to troops loyal to the Saudi-backed government of President Hadi. The troops advanced on the capital Aden and instead of engaging in street fighting, took positions outside of the city in order to prevent civilian casualties. On 29 August 2019, to stop government forces from advancing and reclaiming the capital, the UAE carried out air strikes on government positions outside of Aden, which killed and injured over 300 government soldiers. Despite membership in the coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, the UAE fell out with Hadi's government after the former accused Hadi of aligning with the Islah party, a powerful party, which it viewed as ideologically close to the Muslim Brotherhood. The STC declared self-governance on 26 April 2020. The government said local and security authorities in the provinces of Hadramawt, Abyan, Shabwa, al-Mahra, and the island of Socotra dismissed the move as a "clear and definite coup". In Aden, the movement's attempt was successful, as it occupied all governmental institutions.
STC Backing
The UAE helped create the SBF in southern Yemen. Since its formation, the SBF has played a crucial role in the Saudi-led coalition before the recent escalation. Its successes came in part due to being militarily backed by the UAE. The backing included training of SBF fighters in Abu Dhabi and the supply of military equipment. Emirati backing was crucial in helping the STC gain Aden, which has been under its control since 2018.
