Aden, Jan 3 Chief of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidarous Al-Zubaidi announced here on Friday the launch of a two-year transitional period during which the council will administer the southern parts of the country, to be followed by a referendum on the independence of the south.
In a televised speech delivered via the STC-affiliated AIC channel, Al-Zubaidi said the move was based on what he called a popular mandate and recent security and administrative developments in the region, reports Xinhua news agency.
"The two-year transitional period will conclude with a constitutional declaration to restore the State of South Yemen," Al-Zubaidi said, adding that the declaration is scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2028.
Following the transitional phase will be a popular referendum on self-determination, to be conducted through peaceful and transparent mechanisms and in line with internationally-recognised standards, he said.
However, the constitutional declaration in 2028 could take effect ahead of schedule if the STC's "calls go unheeded, or if the people, territory or forces of southern Yemen are subjected to any military aggression," he noted, adding that "all options remain on the table."
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government has yet to comment on the STC's announcement.
The announcement came amid fierce clashes between STC-affiliated forces and Yemeni government troops over control of military bases and state institutions in the southeastern oil-rich province of Hadramout.
During the past hours, fighting has intensified as both sides seek to expand their influence in the strategically important region, according to local sources.
Local media reports and military sources said Saudi warplanes intensified airstrikes on multiple locations in Hadramout earlier in the day, including Seiyun Airport and its surrounding areas, causing casualties.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces captured Sanaa and large swathes of the north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015.
Formed in 2017, the United Arab Emirates-sponsored STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.
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