Additional Coverage:
- Yemen separatist forces seize key oil region, urge US to partner against Iran-backed Houthis (foxnews.com)
Southern Yemen’s STC Seeks U.S. Partnership, Claims Full Control of Southern Governorates
ADEN, YEMEN – The Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen is making a bold claim: they now control all eight southern governorates and are ready to be a crucial ally for the United States. In an exclusive interview, Ahmed Atef, the STC’s representative to the U.S. and United Nations, expressed a strong desire for expanded military, diplomatic, and economic cooperation with Washington, specifically against Iran-backed Houthis, al Qaeda affiliates, and Muslim Brotherhood factions.
“All kinds of support are welcome,” Atef stated, praising former President Trump as “very courageous and very strong,” and expressing anticipation for his continued support.
The STC has rapidly emerged as a dominant force in southern Yemen, reportedly bolstered by significant financial and military backing from the United Arab Emirates. Formed in April 2017, the council aims to re-establish an independent South Yemen, harkening back to the state that existed from 1967 until unification in 1990. This ambition recently led to calls from Yemen’s internationally recognized government for the STC to withdraw from newly captured territories in the southeastern parts of the country.
Concerns about the STC’s unilateral actions have also been voiced by the international community. U.N.
Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that Yemen faces a “dangerous new escalation” following STC advances in Hadramawt and al-Mahra governorates. Guterres cautioned that such moves risk deepening existing divisions and accelerating fragmentation, potentially impacting regional security across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Horn of Africa.
Bridget Toomey, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), noted that while supporting southern secession would conflict with the U.S.’s stated policy of supporting a unified Yemen, backing the STC in counterterrorism efforts and the fight against the Houthis wouldn’t necessarily be contradictory. This is largely because the STC and its leadership are already part of the current governing framework.
Yemen’s protracted conflict has long fractured the nation. The Houthis, backed by Iran and with ties to Hezbollah, control Sanaa and much of western Yemen. In the south, STC-aligned forces hold sway over Aden, the temporary capital, and a swath of inland and coastal regions including Lahj, Abyan, Shabwa, Hadramout, and al-Mahra.
The internationally recognized Yemeni government, though formally based in Aden and supported by the U.S., remains fragmented. The Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, the recognized authority, relies heavily on a coalition of various factions, including the STC, to govern and confront the Houthis.
This reliance has not been without its critics. The internationally recognized government has accused STC-affiliated forces of deadly attacks in Hadramout and warned that the group’s recent expansion risks igniting conflict among rival factions within the anti-Houthi camp. Yemeni officials have urged the STC to withdraw from seized eastern areas, cautioning that such moves could undermine the political process and destabilize the south’s fragile balance.
Atef, however, refutes these claims, describing the Hadramout operation as a significant success that demonstrated the STC’s capability to combat what he termed hostile forces collaborating with the Houthis. He asserted that the STC’s actions enhanced security rather than undermined it.
Atef further characterized the Houthis as a destabilizing force extending beyond Yemen’s borders, citing their “death to America, death to Israel” slogan. He warned that as long as the Houthis control Sanaa, they will continue to threaten maritime traffic in the Red Sea, as well as the security of southern Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the wider Gulf region. He also accused Houthi factions of cooperating with extremist groups like Somalia’s al-Shabab and receiving training and support from Iran and Hezbollah.
STC President Aidarous Al-Zubaidi has pledged support to northern Yemeni forces seeking to “re-liberate Sanaa,” with Atef dismissing prospects for a negotiated political settlement. “It is impossible,” he stated, adding, “We will talk the language that the Houthis understand.”
Atef consistently positioned the STC as a natural partner for the U.S. in counterterrorism and regional stability. He commended former President Trump for designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and for his efforts against branches of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“In Yemen, we have Muslim Brotherhood. We believe that they are terrorists. We believe that they sponsor terrorism,” Atef said, supporting a recent bill to classify certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters abroad as terrorist entities and arguing the organization is “extremist everywhere, even in the United States.”
Beyond security, Atef expressed the STC’s intention to open southern Yemen’s oil, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism industries to American companies as a path to long-term self-sufficiency. “We invite U.S. companies to come and explore the oil fields and help us in getting revenues to develop our people,” he said.
Ultimately, Atef emphasized that the STC’s goal is an independent, pro-Western South Yemen capable of securing its territory while actively countering Iran’s regional influence. “Once we have got this front against the Houthis strengthened and emboldened with the support of the international community and the United States,” he concluded, “that is going to help us very much on the ground to continue our fight and bring stability and peace to the region.”