The Southern Armed Forces: Strategic Importance and Existent Challenges

عربي

The Southern Forces' control on South Yemen is a natural outcome of the will of the national powers there. However, generally , it is relevant to the concurrent regression of the major powers' role, while the local communities assume the responsibility of self determination.

Away from the roots of this historical and political will, and their close connection with "the Southern Revolution" against what Southerners esteem as " Northern occupation of South in 1994", the existence of such national factors have much contributed in the formation of the Southern Forces and their engagement with the Arab Coalition, led by the KSA, against attempts by the Houthis and militant organizations to control South Yemen. This shows the difference between the success of the international efforts in South Yemen and their failure in North, the bastion of the Houthis. The partnership, based firstly upon the will of national power, and the regional and the international will, afterwards, is superior in solving the Yemeni crisis, and maintaining international security and peace. Consequently, the Southern Forces had to be established under national and scientific basis in light of the military operations scene and the several combatting fronts in the Yemeni conflict.

According to latest estimates, the Southern Armed Forces have more than 90,000 soldiers, distributed over several military and security units, prominent of which are “the Backup and Support” Brigades, which were established in May 2015 before the Aden Liberation War against the Houthis, the Hadhrami Elite Forces, that were formed before the war to liberate Al Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut, from the AQAP’s control in April 2016 and the Shabwani Elite Forces, which played a prominent role in liberating Shabwa from the radical groups in 2018-19; the Security Belts, which played a prominent role in driving the AQAP’s cells out of Al Mansoura District , Aden in 2016, and out of Abyan and Lahj in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, there are Giants Brigades which participated in the war to liberate the Western Coast from the Houthi grip in Al Hodeidah and Mocha in 2018. Moreover, units, affiliated with the Yemeni Security Department and Army joined the Southern Armed Forces, such as the Special Forces, the Fifth Infantry Brigade, the 33rd Armored Brigade and Al-Anad Base Brigade, in light of the conflict that erupted in August 2019 in Aden between the Yemeni Government and the STC

At the beginning of June, to enhance the presence of these forces, the STC’s President and the Supreme Commander of the Southern Armed Forces, General Aidarus Al Zubaidi restructured and reorganized the Southern Forces in a way that suited the nature of their defensive and security tasks.

Nevertheless, there are some views that see a lack of unity regarding the operations of the Southern Armed Forces, and that their direct subordination to the STC is somewhat absent, due to a dominant belief that the will of some of those forces is subjected to the political estimation dynamics and complicated calculations, by being part of regional and international partnership.

However, looking at the nature of political and military circumstances, on which the Southern Forces were formed, it sounds quite different, as there is a consensus among the Southerners to establish their political federal entity, so as to build and form their military and security establishment upon bases that enhance the integrity principle, where everyone needs everyone in the face of the Houthis and the extremist organizations’ attacks. This makes a connection between the political calculations and the parties dissident from the Southern, regional and international consensus.

Consequently, there are several blazing fronts against the Houthis along the southern borders with North Yemen, including: Al Dhalea, the Karsh, the Tur Al Baha, Mukayris, Yafa and the Nati front towards Shabwa, where it appears that each front depends on local elements, who are likely from the same southern region. However, the unity of danger and destiny, and the need of everyone to everyone would strengthen the unity of the Southern Armed Forces, and help their field and structural cohesion.

South Yemen is located at the international navigation line, from the side of the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandab, the lane connecting the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea, or east with west, through which 40% of world trade passes. Therefore, the international community needs to ensure the security and stability of this vital passageway and important geographical area.