Yemen's STC denies dissolution, demands release of detained delegation in Riyadh

Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Saturday dismissed reports of its dissolution as "fabricated and legally void," saying the claims were made under coercion and without any legitimate authority.

According to a statement posted on social media platform X, the STC said its National Assembly, Consultative Council and General Secretariat held an emergency meeting in the southern port city of Aden, accusing Saudi Arabia of detaining its negotiating delegation in Riyadh and forcing them to issue the dissolution statement under pressure.

The alleged dissolution came from an unauthorized party under pressure and therefore carries no legal or political validity, the council stated.

The STC said it remains "fully legitimate and operational," stressing that its mandate has derived from the southern Yemeni people since its establishment in 2017.

Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of its detained members, the council urged the UN and international partners to "respect the will of the southern people" and reject any political process that marginalizes their representatives.

The denial follows reports from Yemeni state media on Friday that an STC delegation in Riyadh had announced the council's self-dissolution and the closure of all its offices inside and outside the country. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Thursday also claimed STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi secretly left Yemen after failing to attend peace talks in Riyadh.

Allegedly backed by the United Arab Emirates, the STC seeks southern Yemen's self-determination and eventual independence. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling PLC in 2022, the group continues to push for sovereignty for the south, fueling recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.