Aden (South24 Center) 

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) said on Sunday, March 15, that it remains committed to the project of restoring the South State. The statement was issued on the 11th anniversary of the liberation of the capital, Aden, following the invasion by Houthi forces and troops loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2015.

In its statement, the Council said that the “27th of Ramadan victory” in the summer of 2015 (July) marked a “historical turning point” in the course of the conflict. It described the battle to liberate the city as a declaration of the people of the South’s ability to defend their land and identity, with support from the Arab Coalition.

The statement added that the liberation of Aden was not the end of the battle but rather the beginning of a new political and military phase. It pointed to the establishment of the STC in 2017 as “the political bearer of the South Cause,” alongside the building and development of the Southern Armed Forces and the consolidation of control over most of the Southern geography.

The Council said that the South Cause has gained increasing presence in international political and diplomatic discussions in recent years, noting that it is now being presented as a political issue requiring a “radical and comprehensive solution.”

The statement also referred to what it described as the targeting of Southern forces in several governorates in recent weeks. It said these developments were met with mass rallies by grassroots supporters in Aden and other Southern governorates, which it said reflected continued popular support for the project to restore the South State.

The STC renewed its support for its President, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, reaffirming confidence in his leadership and adherence to the Council as the political representative of the South Cause.

The statement stressed the importance of adhering to the political agreements signed in Riyadh since 2019, which it said provided a political framework that enabled the South to manage its affairs and areas of influence.

At the same time, the Council emphasized the need to adhere to the “January 2 Declaration,” which includes the political statement and the constitutional declaration, describing it as a roadmap for organizing the political relationship with what the statement referred to as “occupation forces.”

The Council also stressed the need to complete the liberation of the entire Southern geography, including the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, while rejecting any attempts to turn Southern lands into an arena for regional conflicts or arrangements that reproduce hegemony projects.

Furthermore, the statement called for the restoration of political freedoms and the reopening of its organizational headquarters in Aden. It also demanded the return of the Council’s delegation currently in Riyadh and enabling it to carry out its political duties.

The statement comes amid the continued closure of the STC’s main headquarters in Aden for several weeks. The STC has accused Rashad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), of directing the closure of these offices.

On January 9, the STC delegation in Riyadh announced the dissolution of the Council under unclear circumstances, two days after its arrival there. The STC rejected the measure, and Southern cities, including the capital Aden, witnessed large grassroots demonstrations condemning and rejecting the move.