Yemen is fracturing: Southern Transnational Council in Aden push

Yemen is fracturing: Southern Transnational Council in Aden push

Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The fracturing of Yemen is gathering in pace and this is visible by recent events that are altering an already complex situation on the ground. Hence, the Southern Transnational Council (STC) is now pushing for power in Aden against the internationally recognized government of this nation.

It remains to be seen if the fate of Ali Abdullah Saleh awaits Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi – this doesn’t apply to Hadi also being killed but that his power is undermined to the point of no return by his former allies. After all, it was the Shia Houthi allies of Saleh who killed him after he appeared to be open to the Saudi Arabia-led Sunni Muslim alliance. In a similar fashion in Aden, that resembles events in Sana’a, it is the former allies of Hadi in the STC who are now pushing against his military forces in Aden.

Hence, with millions being blighted by malnutrition and cholera and with the Saudi Arabia-led Sunni Muslim alliance bombing Yemen at random, then the fracturing of former allies is set to make the crisis even worse. This bodes ill for the people of Yemen who are suffering horrendously. Equally, to make matters worse the Sunni Islamist sectarian forces of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS (Islamic State – IS) will make the most of the increasingly volatile situation that is pitting former allies against each other.

The STC had been relatively marginalized but it now appears that this will change. In other words, many southerners, given the fracturing of Yemen, desire an independent South Yemen that existed in the past. Of course, Hadi is opposed to this but his forces are being openly challenged in Aden. Therefore, just like events swept Saleh away, it now appears that Hadi is equally looking vulnerable.

Reuters reports, “Fighting between southern separatists, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), against forces loyal to Saudi-based president Hadi, risk crippling their once united campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen’s north.”

Aydaroos al-Zubaydi, head of the STC, said, We have tasks alongside the Arab coalition and its Decisive Storm (operation). But the people of the South have the right to their own state when the international community is ready for that.”  

Overall, Yemen is fracturing and clearly, the respective alliances of convenience are now being seen for what they are, this applies to being hollow. Hence, the nation of Yemen is being torn apart by the meddling of outside nations, sectarianism, regionalism, and with terrorist forces gaining from such instability.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-clashes/yemen-separatists-capture-aden-government-confined-to-palace-residents-idUSKBN1FJ17E

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/30/aden-crisis-alliances-convenience-unravel-yemen

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