The STC will maintain its presence, but agrees to deploy Riyadh-backed National Shield government forces to the area.
Published January 1, 2026
Tensions in Yemen continue to rise, with Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, warning against unilateral military action by southern separatists.
Al Alimi warned that further advances by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists in Hadramawt and Al Mahra provinces would have serious consequences.
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His warning came following a surprise attack in December in which STC forces overran the resource-rich province. Riyadh has accused the United Arab Emirates of inciting the STC and warned that its presence in Yemen’s province, which borders Saudi Arabia, poses a threat to the country’s security. The UAE denies the claims and says it supports Saudi Arabia’s security.
The STC, on the other hand, rejected al-Alimi’s mandate, insisting it would continue to deploy fighters in provinces where Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s official government want them to leave.
The group further strengthened its presence on Wednesday night by announcing a new agreement to deploy additional separatist forces to areas it captured in Hadramawt. Neither the Yemeni government nor Saudi Arabia has issued an official response to the announcement.
STC spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib said in a video posted on X that the group’s forces would continue to operate in the seized areas. However, it added that it would work with the Homeland Shield force, which is affiliated with the Yemeni government and the Saudi-led coalition.
Withdrawal limit
Salem al-Kambasi, governor of Hadramawt province, said the STC’s response to official requests for withdrawal had been limited.
He told Al Jazeera Arabic that he urged the separatists to withdraw their troops from Hadramaut and return to their original positions. He said he wanted to avoid bloodshed and warned that continued defiance risked plunging the state into violence.
On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition announced an airstrike of weapons and military vehicles after two ships arrived at the port of Mukalla from Fujairah. Mukalla is under the control of STC.
Saudi Arabia said national security was a “red line that should not be crossed” and accused the UAE military of sending military equipment to the STC as it gained territory in Hadramaut and al-Mahrah.
Abu Dhabi rejected the accusations. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the claims as “suspicious” but later announced the end of the remaining mission of its “counter-terrorism” team in Yemen.
The STC, which seeks secession from southern Yemen, launched its latest military operation in early December, ignoring repeated local and regional demands for its withdrawal.
The European Union warned on Wednesday that the Hadramawt and Al-Mahrah developments risked sparking new instability across the Gulf. “The EU calls for de-escalation,” the spokesperson said, reaffirming support for Yemen’s unity and the Presidential Leadership Council.
