Yemen's southern separatist movement said on Friday it aims to hold a referendum on independence from the north in two years following its seizure of swathes of the country last month in a move that triggered a major feud between Gulf powers.
Supporters of the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) wave flags of the STC and the United Arab Emirates, during a rally in Aden, Yemen, January 1, 2026. Reuters/Fawaz Salman
Yemen's southern separatist movement said on Friday it aims to hold a referendum on independence from the north in two years following its seizure of swathes of the country last month in a move that triggered a major feud between Gulf powers.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) is backed by the United Arab Emirates and has for years been part of Yemen's internationally recognised government which is supported by Saudi Arabia and has led the fight against the Houthi movement.
Reporting by Maha El Dahan, Enas Alashray and Ahmed Tolba
More than 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes since fighting in Yemen began in recent weeks, according to data released on Wednesday by the United Nations' International Organization for Migration.
Houthis attacked the international airport in the southern Yemeni town of Aden with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones early on Wednesday, Yemen's Transport Ministry said, as fighting intensified across several fronts between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed government forces.
Israelis will on Wednesday mark three years since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering a military assault that destroyed much of Gaza, where conditions remain dire despite a year-old ceasefire that is meant to halt the war for good.
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