UAE-Backed STC Announces Referendum on Southern Yemen’s Independence

Aden, Jan 3, 2026 — Yemen’s southern separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has announced plans to hold a referendum within the next two years on independence from northern Yemen, signaling a major escalation in the country’s long-running conflict.
In a statement released on Friday, the United Arab Emirates–backed STC said it would begin a political process aimed at establishing an independent state in southern Yemen. The announcement was reported by British news agency Reuters.
STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi made the declaration in a televised address following renewed clashes with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. He said the group was launching a two-year transitional period and called on the international community to support dialogue between stakeholders in northern and southern Yemen.
“If no dialogue takes place, or if southern Yemen comes under renewed attack, the STC will immediately declare independence,” al-Zubaidi warned.
The announcement comes amid intensified fighting in the strategically important Hadramout province, where Saudi-backed government forces have launched a military operation to regain territory. The STC seized control of several areas, including parts of Hadramout, last month—moves that have deepened rifts among Gulf allies, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Al-Zubaidi reiterated that any military assault on southern residents, territory, or forces would prompt the immediate implementation of what he described as a “constitutional declaration” of independence, even before the two-year timeline expires.
According to Reuters, this marks the clearest statement yet from the STC regarding its long-standing separatist ambitions. However, Yemen’s internationally recognized government and its key ally Saudi Arabia view the move as a step toward further destabilizing the crisis-ridden country.
Yemen has remained effectively divided for years. Iran-backed Houthi rebels control much of the mountainous north, while the south and central regions are split between government forces and southern separatists. A rapid advance by southern forces in early December significantly altered the balance of power in the more than decade-long war, weakening the anti-Houthi alliance and exposing growing disagreements between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
State news agency SABA reported that Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, has formally requested Saudi Arabia to help organize a dialogue forum aimed at resolving the southern crisis.
Al-Alimi condemned al-Zubaidi’s declaration as “unilateral,” accusing the STC of undermining political unity in the south and damaging prospects for dialogue.