STC military deployments threaten gov't authority: Yemeni presidential council chief

Aden [Yemen], December 9: Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief Rashad Al-Alimi on Monday warned that recent military deployments by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the country's south threaten the authority of the internationally recognized government, the state-run Saba news agency reported.
Meeting in Riyadh with ambassadors sponsoring Yemen's peace efforts, Al-Alimi said the STC's recent military deployments in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah "violate the transitional framework, undermine unified security decision-making, and heighten instability at a critical moment."
He stressed that his government cannot accept parallel authorities operating outside state institutions.
Al-Alimi praised Saudi Arabia's role in de-escalation efforts, including securing oil facilities, but warned that continued unilateral actions by the STC have renewed tensions and could trigger economic and humanitarian setbacks, such as salary delays, fuel shortages, and weakened donor confidence.
He called for a unified international stance supporting the legitimate government as Yemen's sole executive authority, noting that the country cannot sustain additional conflicts while confronting the Houthi movement.
The ambassadors reiterated their support for the PLC, the government, and Yemen's unity and stability, emphasizing the need for cohesion within the council.
The escalating tension in southern Yemen was sparked in Hadramout province, where STC-aligned forces entered the city of Seiyun after breaching defenses held by the pro-government 1st Regional Military Command last week. STC fighters expelled government forces, accusing them of ties to the Houthi militia and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and large swathes of the north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
Formed in 2017, the STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into the PLC in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.
Source: Xinhua News Agency