The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council has declared a two-year transitional phase towards independence for southern Yemen, potentially leading to a referendum and the creation of South Arabia by January 2028, amid ongoing clashes and airstrikes in the region.
Southern Transitional Council president Aidaros Alzubidi announced on 2 January 2026 the start of a two-year transitional period in southern Yemen, including plans for dialogue with northern authorities and a referendum on independence, with the possibility of immediate declaration if attacks continue, according to AFP reporting.
Separatists Launch Independence Timeline
The Southern Transitional Council, controlling parts of southern Yemen, stated it would begin a two-year transitional phase aimed at eventual independence, potentially splitting Yemen once again after its prior division from 1967 to 1990, as reported by AFP. Aidaros Alzubidi, STC president, made the announcement in a televised address, calling on the international community to sponsor dialogue between southern parties and the Iran-backed Houthi-controlled north. According to AFP, Alzubidi specified that the new entity would be named South Arabia.
As reported by AFP, Aidaros Alzubidi warned that the constitutional declaration would take immediate effect if no dialogue occurs or if southern Yemen faces further military attacks, a statement issued on the same day seven STC fighters died in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes targeting separatist positions.
Historical Divisions and Regional Power Plays
Yemen was divided into North and South from 1967 to 1990 before unification, a history now echoed by the STC’s push for separation amid the ongoing civil war involving Houthi rebels, Saudi-led coalitions, and UAE support for southern forces, according to AFP. The STC, backed by the United Arab Emirates, has positioned itself against both Houthi influence in the north and Saudi-aligned Yemeni government forces.
Recent Military Advances and Clashes
STC forces recently advanced into resource-rich Hadramawt province bordering Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Mahra on the Omani frontier in a largely unopposed move last month, as detailed by AFP. On 2 January, Saudi-led coalition airstrikes hit STC positions, including sites in the region, the airport, and a military base in Seiyun, killing seven fighters in the first such coalition deaths since the campaign began, according to AFP and eyewitness accounts. The STC military spokesman described the conflict as an existential war against Saudi-backed Yemeni forces, framing it as a battle against radical Islamism, per AFP reporting.
Coalition Response and Escalating Tensions
Saudi sources confirmed the airstrikes were conducted by the Saudi-led coalition, which includes the UAE and was formed in 2015 to counter Houthi rebels, according to AFP. A source close to the Saudi military stated the strikes would continue until the STC withdraws from Hadramawt and Mahra governorates. Meanwhile, The Cradle reported that the UAE-backed STC revealed plans on 2 January for a referendum on independence, highlighting the group’s push for partition amid these developments.
The announcement and subsequent violence underscore deepening fractures in Yemen’s multi-sided conflict, with the STC’s transitional plan setting a deadline of January 2028 for potential separation unless preempted by immediate action.
