Skip to main content

Yemen's STC aims to hold an independence referendum in two years

1 min Mena Today

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

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

Related

Lebanon

Geagea: Hezbollah is "Finished" in Lebanon

Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea delivered a verdict Tuesday that many Lebanese have long wanted to hear but few dared to say out loud: Hezbollah is "finished" in Lebanon,  and Iran, not the Lebanese state, will foot the bill for the destruction it caused.

Iran

Slain security chief replaced by hardline IRGC veteran

Iran named a former Revolutionary Guards commander and senior figure in the hardline political faction on Tuesday to replace the powerful head of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes last week.

Qatar

Qatar Foreign Ministry: We are not the US-Iran mediator

There is no direct Qatari mediation between the United States and Iran, but Doha supports all formal and informal diplomatic channels to end the war, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.