Tensions escalate in Yemen… Al-Dhalea rises in support of the Southern Transitional Council amid expanding popular mobilization

Al-Dhalea governorate in southern Yemen witnessed significant popular movements, marked by large-scale demonstrations held under the slogan “Steadfastness, resilience, and challenge.” These gatherings reflected the commitment of a broad segment of southerners to the option of restoring a southern state.

Thousands of participants assembled in the city square, raising southern flags and displaying images of their political leaders. Through this demonstration, organizers sought to send clear messages both domestically and internationally regarding the future of the southern cause.

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According to Eram News, the event was organized at the invitation of the Southern Transitional Council. Participants expressed their full support for the Council’s leadership and its political choices. Protesters also chanted slogans criticizing the performance of the central authorities, arguing that the existing partnership has failed to meet southern aspirations and has instead deepened political and economic tensions in the so-called liberated areas.

The statement issued following the event reaffirmed adherence to the political declaration previously presented by the Council’s president, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, which outlines the features of an independent southern transitional phase.

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It also emphasized the rejection of any political settlement that does not guarantee the right of the “people of the South” to self-determination, clearly signaling the continuation of disagreements with components of the internationally recognized authority, particularly the Presidential Leadership Council headed by Rashad Al-Alimi.

Politically, these mobilizations demonstrate the Southern Transitional Council’s ability to rally public support at pivotal moments in Yemen’s crisis, especially amid stalled comprehensive negotiation tracks and ongoing economic and security challenges. Al-Dhalea, regarded as one of the principal strongholds of the southern movement, has thus become a platform for reaffirming southern priorities and underscoring that any forthcoming settlement cannot overlook the demand to redefine the relationship between the North and the South.

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These movements also carry regional and international messages, indicating that the South has become a significant actor in the Yemeni equation and that disregarding its demands may deepen divisions rather than contain them.

In light of the multiplicity of actors and conflicting visions regarding the future structure of the state, observers believe the political landscape may move toward greater polarization unless realistic initiatives are introduced to address the root causes of the crisis and accommodate the transformations imposed by years of conflict.

Experts further argue that the developments in Al-Dhalea once again illustrate that Yemen remains entangled in overlapping ideological conflicts, where projects of political Islam intersect with separatist ambitions and the influence of armed actors.

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