Southern Transitional Council facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Southern Transitional Council
المجلس الانتقالي الجنوبي (Arabic)
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| Abbreviation | STC |
| Chairperson | Aidarus al-Zoubaidi |
| Founded | May 11, 2017 |
| Split from | Southern Movement |
| Headquarters | Aden, Yemen |
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| National affiliation | Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) (since April 2022) |
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| https://en.stcaden.com/ | |
The Southern Transitional Council (STC; Arabic: المجلس الانتقالي الجنوبي, romanized: al-Majlis al-Intiqālī l-Janūbiyy) is a political group active in Yemen. It is supported by the United Arab Emirates. The STC was formed on May 11, 2017. It grew out of a part of the Southern Movement. The STC wants to create an independent country called "State of South Arabia" in the southern part of Yemen. This proposed country would follow the old borders of South Yemen.
The council is led by Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, who used to be the governor of Aden Governorate. Hani Bin Breik, a former minister, serves as the vice-president. The STC is a major group in the Yemeni Civil War. It manages much of the southern part of Yemen. The STC has 26 members, including governors from five southern areas and two government ministers.
In April 2022, the STC joined the Presidential Leadership Council. This happened after the Yemeni President at the time, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, stepped down. He gave his powers to this new council. Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the head of the STC, became the Vice President of this new government. The STC increased its role in the council in May 2023. It now has three out of the eight members.
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Understanding the Southern Transitional Council
What is the STC?
The Southern Transitional Council is a group that aims to create a separate country in southern Yemen. They believe this new country, called "South Arabia," would bring peace and stability to the region. The STC has its main office in Aden, a major city in Yemen. They have their own military forces, known as the Southern Armed Forces and the Security Belt.
How the STC Began
The STC's story began on April 27, 2017. President Hadi removed Aidarus al-Zoubaidi from his role as governor of Aden. This happened because of his strong connections with the United Arab Emirates. Many people in Aden supported al-Zoubaidi and protested his removal.
On May 4, 2017, Aidarus al-Zoubaidi gave an important speech. This speech is known as the "Aden Historic Declaration." It was delivered in Freedom Square in Aden. With support from the United Arab Emirates, the STC was officially formed on May 11, 2017. Aidarus al-Zoubaidi became its leader. President Hadi immediately said the new council was not legitimate.
Important Moments in STC's History
In January 2018, forces loyal to the STC took control of government buildings in Aden. This was a significant event against the Hadi government. Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, as the head of the STC, announced a special alert in Aden. He stated that the STC was beginning to take over leadership in the South.
Disagreements grew in southern Yemen in August 2019. Forces supported by the UAE, called the Security Belt Forces, lost some areas to troops loyal to President Hadi's government. To stop government forces from moving into Aden, the UAE launched air attacks on government positions outside the city. These actions caused many casualties among government soldiers.
The UAE and Hadi's government had disagreements. The UAE believed Hadi was too close to the Islah party, which they did not support. On April 26, 2020, the STC announced they would govern themselves. However, other areas like Hadramawt and Socotra called this move an attempt to take power illegally. In Aden, the STC successfully took control of all government institutions.
To help resolve the conflicts between the Yemeni government and the STC, a new government was formed in December 2020. This new government, supported by Saudi Arabia, included equal numbers of representatives from northern and southern Yemen. The goal was to end the internal conflicts so both sides could work together against the Houthi rebels in the ongoing civil war.
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In April 2022, the STC formally became part of the Presidential Leadership Council. This new body was created after the former president resigned. Aidarus al-Zoubaidi became the new Vice President. In May 2023, the STC adopted the "Southern National Pact." This pact asked for the Southern Movement to be included in peace talks under its own framework. The Houthi group strongly disagreed with the meeting and its decisions. Despite this, the STC increased its share in the Presidential Leadership Council to three members.
In December 2023, the Southern Transitional Council stated it was open to working with Israel. This cooperation would be to stop attacks on ships by the Houthi group. On September 25, 2025, the STC called for the idea of having two separate countries to resolve the Yemeni civil war. STC president Aidarus al-Zubaidi said this would be the best way to achieve peace. He believed it was unlikely to remove the Houthis from Northern Yemen. He also felt the country was already divided into two parts.
Concerns About Rights
Some groups have raised concerns about how people's rights are protected in areas controlled by the Southern Transitional Council. Since 2023, authorities in Aden have introduced rules for groups that help people (called civil society organizations). These groups needed special permission from the STC to hold public events.
These rules sometimes made it hard for groups to get money or approval. This was especially true if they seemed to disagree with the STC. Some events organized by these groups were stopped, even after they had permission. Places hosting events were sometimes told to close them without a clear reason. Civil society groups have also reported less access to funding. They also said they felt they had to be more careful about what they said.
People who work to protect human rights and journalists have sometimes been arrested by STC security forces without clear reasons. For example, in November 2023, a lawyer named Sami Yassin Ka’id Marsh was arrested by STC security forces. He was held without charges and kept isolated for a long time, raising serious worries about his health. In March 2024, he was moved to Aden's Bir Ahmad prison. A photo later showed him looking very ill in a hospital, which caused concern for his health.
See also
In Spanish: Consejo de Transición del Sur para niños
- Southern Movement
- Yemeni Socialist Party
- South Yemen insurgency
