Southern Yemen's Rising Tide: The STC's Power Play

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) has taken control of all southern Yemeni provinces, solidifying its vision for an independent southern state. With UAE backing, the STC challenges Yemen's unity, overshadowing Saudi Arabia's efforts to maintain a unified Yemen as the PLC struggles for legitimacy.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC), a secessionist group in southern Yemen, has raised its flags across southern provinces, further asserting its independence. By early December, the STC held sway over all southern provinces, enhancing its position for a separate southern state.

This development places Yemen's internationally recognized government, the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), in a precarious position, caught between the STC in the south and the Houthi-controlled north. The STC's resurgence taps into the historical grievances dating back to Yemen's 1990 unification.

With the UAE backing the STC through financial and military support, the dynamics in Yemen have shifted significantly. The UAE's influence seems to have overshadowed Saudi Arabia's, with the STC maintaining key regions and infrastructure, amplifying the pressures on Yemen's fragile state.

(With inputs from agencies.)