Aden (South24 Center) 

A senior Hadrami official affirmed on Saturday (December 13) that Hadramout rejects any demands for the withdrawal of Southern forces, stressing that their presence has contributed to strengthening security and stability in both the Valley and the Coast, and enjoys clear popular support.

Maj. Gen. Ahmed Saeed bin Brik, member of the Presidency of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and former Governor of Hadramout, said that Southern Hadramis “welcome the Southern forces and appreciate the support of the Arab Coalition in defending the land and identity since 2015.”

He pointed to the prominent role played by the Southern forces in protecting the South and confronting “the Iranian project and its tools,” adding that the mass rallies witnessed in Hadramout “reflect the Southern street’s support for the STC and its forces across the various governorates of the South.”

Bin Brik explained that the presence of Southern forces in Hadramout “has strengthened security and stability in the Valley and the Coast,” affirming that the deployment of these forces covers the entire South, and that the people of Hadramout themselves participate in protecting other Southern regions.

He stressed that “the withdrawal of Southern forces from Hadramout is not a popular demand among Hadramis,” considering that calls in this direction come from parties that oppose their national role.

Bin Brik’s remarks coincided with ongoing mass activities in several Southern governorates, as local sources reported the arrival of large delegations from the districts of Nisab and Al-Rawda to the open sit-in square in the city of Ataq in Shabwa governorate on Saturday.

An open mass sit-in also continues in Abyan governorate demanding independence, in parallel with a large march held in Radfan in Lahj governorate, where demonstrators raised slogans calling for the declaration of the “Second Independence” of the State of South Arabia.

This popular movement comes amid ongoing political debate over the situation in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah. Sources within the STC confirmed on Friday (December 12) that the Southern military presence in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah “is not up for discussion,” denying reports about arrangements for a withdrawal.

In contrast, the state-run Saba News Agency quoted a source in the office of the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council as saying that the visit of a Saudi–UAE delegation to Aden aimed to “restore the situation in Hadramout and Al-Mahra to its previous state,” while STC sources stressed that the security and stability of the South are a “red line and a pillar of regional and neighboring security.”

This comes as the President of the Southern Transitional Council and member of the Presidential Leadership Council, Maj. Gen. Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, received on Friday the leadership of the Arab Coalition’s Joint Forces in Aden, where both sides discussed security developments and coordination efforts to protect regional security and freedom of navigation.

The Saudi–UAE coalition delegation departed the capital Aden on the same day, according to information obtained by South24, following meetings described as positive with the Southern leadership, which—according to informed sources—affirmed continued coordination and the Southern forces’ remaining in their positions.