Major political tremors are shaking Yemen as the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has made a dramatic move, dismissing Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the influential head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The accusation? Nothing less than “high treason,” leading to an immediate referral for investigation by the Prosecutor General.
The shake-up didn’t stop there. Two cabinet ministers – Transport Minister Abdul Salam Humaid and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Waed Badhib – were also shown the door and are now under investigation. Adding to the tension, the council issued a stern directive: pursue and arrest anyone distributing weapons that threaten civil peace, emphasizing a firm commitment to the rule of law and national unity.
These drastic internal changes come right after Yemeni government forces successfully recaptured the eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra from STC control. These two regions are significant, making up nearly half of Yemen’s territory, and were seized by STC fighters just last month.
The STC, led by Zubaidi, has long pushed for the secession of southern Yemen, citing historical marginalization. Days before his dismissal, Zubaidi announced a “transitional phase” and a potential referendum on the south’s future, a move fiercely rejected by Yemeni authorities who are committed to a unified nation. With external accusations also surfacing (Saudi Arabia recently accused the UAE of backing STC actions, which the UAE denies), Yemen’s path remains fraught with internal power struggles and complex regional dynamics.
