Aden (South24 Center)

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen on Tuesday (April 29) criticized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad al-Alimi and Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, holding them responsible for the severe deterioration in the services and economic conditions in Aden and the southern governorates.

The accusations came during a meeting chaired by Ali Abdullah al-Kathiri, Acting President of the STC, with local authority leaders, military and security forces, district directors, and community committees in Aden to discuss the public anger over the mounting electricity shortages and the accelerating collapse of the local currency.

In an official statement, al-Kathiri affirmed the STC’s support for citizens' legitimate demands and their right to peaceful protest. He also warned against attempts by hostile parties to exploit the public anger to incite chaos and blame the STC and security forces for the crisis.

Al-Kathiri added that STC President Aidrous al-Zubaidi is closely monitoring developments and has directed all ministers abroad to return to Aden. He announced that the STC’s ministerial bloc in the government will hold a press conference in the coming days to clarify the causes of the crisis and identify those responsible, primarily al-Alimi and bin Mubarak.

These developments follow angry protests in Crater on Monday, where demonstrators burned tires and blocked main roads to denounce the power outages that have exceeded 22 hours daily and the sharp depreciation of the Yemeni rial against the US dollar and Saudi riyal.

Security forces were deployed near vital facilities though there have been no reports of clashes. The protesters have demanded urgent government action to address the living and services crises, and warned of broader unrest.

Aden’s electricity sector suffers from chronic crises due to fuel shortages and aging power plants, while the local currency continues to plummet, with the US dollar reaching 2,535 rials (buying) and 2,560 rials (selling) on Monday amid a lack of effective economic reforms.