Thousands of STC supporters rallied in Aden's Khor Maksar, waving the former South Yemen flag and calling for independence despite reports the group agreed to disband after clashes with Saudi-backed forces. The public show of support highlights internal divisions within the STC and rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Allegations that leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi was smuggled to the UAE added further controversy, while Aden authorities had briefly banned protests for security reasons.
Thousands Rally In Aden As STC Supporters Reject Reported Dissolution, Demand Independence
Demonstrators rally in support of Yemen's separatist STC in the port city of Aden on January 10, 2026 [Saleh al-Obeidi/AFP]
Thousands of Yemenis gathered in Aden on Saturday to show support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), even as reports circulated that the separatist movement had agreed to disband following deadly clashes with Saudi-backed forces.
The demonstrations were centered in Khor Maksar, an STC stronghold, where protesters chanted anti-Saudi and anti-government slogans and waved the red, white and black flag of the former South Yemen state that existed between 1967 and 1990.
"Today, the people of the south gathered from all provinces in the capital, Aden, to reiterate what they have been saying consistently for years and throughout the last month: we want an independent state," protester Yacoub al-Safyani told AFP.
The rally followed a Saudi-backed offensive that last month pushed STC forces out of areas they had seized late last year, including parts of Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces and control of some military installations and the presidential palace in Aden.
Regional Rift and Internal Divisions
The clashes have exposed heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with Riyadh accusing the UAE of backing the STC. The confrontations also laid bare divisions within the separatist movement.
On Friday, an STC delegation in Riyadh announced the group's dissolution, with Secretary-General Abdulrahman Jalal al-Sebaihi saying the STC would close its bodies and offices inside and outside Yemen, citing internal disagreements and regional pressure. But Anwar al-Tamimi, an STC spokesperson, contested that move on X, saying only the full council under the president can dissolve the group.
Leader's Whereabouts and Protest Ban
During the Aden protests, supporters displayed posters of STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi. He did not attend the Riyadh talks and was reportedly smuggled from Aden to the UAE this week; forces aligned with the Saudi-backed campaign say a flight carrying him was tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi. The claim has been denied by Emirati authorities.
Authorities in Aden aligned with Yemen's Saudi-backed government issued a ban on demonstrations on Friday, citing security concerns, but the restrictions did not prevent the large turnout in Khor Maksar.
As the situation develops, the dispute over the STC's status — and the rift among Gulf backers — is likely to shape the next phase of Yemen's complex and fragmented conflict.
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