The Rise and Fall of the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen's Civil War

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Formed in 2017 to push for an independent South Arabian state, the Southern Transitional Council became a major player in Yemen's civil war. Backed by the United Arab Emirates, the group oscillated between joining the government and launching military coups, ultimately meeting a dramatic end in early 2026.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) emerged in May 2017 after President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi dismissed Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the governor of Aden. This move sparked massive protests and led to the formation of the council, which sought to restore the borders of the former South Yemen. Throughout the conflict, the STC maintained a complex relationship with the internationally recognized government, at times fighting alongside it against Houthi rebels while simultaneously seizing control of state institutions in Aden. The United Arab Emirates provided critical support to the group, which viewed the government's alignment with the Islah party as a threat.

Tensions frequently boiled over into direct conflict, most notably during the 2019 clashes and the 2020 declaration of self-governance. Diplomatic efforts, such as the 2019 Riyadh Agreement and the 2022 inclusion of the STC in the Presidential Leadership Council, attempted to integrate the separatists into a unified front. However, these arrangements proved fragile. In December 2025, the STC launched 'Operation Promising Future,' a major offensive that briefly allowed the group to capture most of the former South Yemeni territory. The campaign was short-lived; a Saudi-backed counter-offensive in January 2026 swiftly pushed the STC out of its strongholds, including Aden.

The aftermath of the defeat triggered a deep internal crisis. While a delegation in Riyadh announced the organization's dissolution, other officials—operating from the United Arab Emirates—denounced the move as coerced and declared the group still active. Re-emerging under the name Transitional Council of South Arabia, the organization continues to stage protests despite losing its official standing and territorial control. The group's legacy remains defined by its attempt to reshape the map of the Arabian Peninsula, its controversial human rights record, and its failed bid to establish a sovereign state.

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