Mukalla (South24 Center)

Signs of de-escalation emerged on Thursday (April 9) between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and local authorities in Hadramout, following the release of detainees arrested during the April 4 peaceful protest in Mukalla, and the STC’s parallel decision to suspend a demonstration planned for the same day, amid mediation efforts by tribal and local leaders led by the Hadrami Consensus Authority to contain rising tensions.

In a statement, the Executive Body of the STC’s local leadership in Hadramout said the decision to suspend the protest came “following the release of detainees, in a positive step toward addressing the issues raised.” It added that “dialogue and responsiveness to legitimate demands represent an important foundation for enhancing stability and addressing existing challenges.”

The body also said the development reflects the importance of “responsible engagement among various parties” and the role of society in expressing its voice “through peaceful means,” in reference to last Saturday’s protest in Mukalla by STC supporters, which was targeted by local authorities and Saudi-backed forces.

The STC linked its decision to suspend the protest to allowing space for “the completion of remaining commitments,” including the cancellation of arrest warrants against its leaders and several activists, and referring those involved in what it described as the “Saturday massacre” to prosecution and the judiciary. However, it stressed that de-escalation does not mean abandoning its “core principles” or the goal of “restoring and building the South State.”

The move coincided with the release of several detainees on Thursday, including journalist Amjad Al-Rami, nearly a week after his arrest in Mukalla, according to local posts and circulating media reports. Other reports also indicated the release of educator Abdullah Basanbal and a number of individuals detained in connection with the Saturday protest.

In a parallel development, local sources said an initiative led by the Hadrami Consensus Authority, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Awad Al-Basiri, resulted in a joint meeting with STC leaders, in an effort to unify positions and contain the fallout from the Mukalla events.

According to a source who spoke to “South24,” the ongoing understandings also include the likely reopening of STC offices in Hadramout on Saturday.

Recent local reports had indicated that the arrest campaign following the Mukalla protests involved dozens of individuals, while some sources reported that many of them have since been released.

This trajectory aligns with a prior call issued by the STC’s Media and Culture Department in Hadramout, urging supporters to maintain media restraint and avoid offensive rhetoric toward local authorities or any political group. At the same time, it stressed that political calm does not equate to abandoning the “Southern cause” or the demand for restoring the state.

It remains unclear whether this de-escalation has been endorsed by Saudi Arabia for the local authorities in Hadramout. These developments come after two protesters were killed and four others injured on Saturday in Mukalla, when security forces opened fire during a demonstration in support of the STC.