Mukalla (South24 Center)

The city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout Governorate, witnessed a mass rally on Monday (December 29) during which thousands of participants expressed support for the Southern Forces, and demanded the proclamation of the South Arabia State and the restoration of the state. 

According to the South24 correspondent, massive crowds flocked to the event square hours before the rally began, in a remarkable show of public participation, waving Southern flags and chanting slogans in support of South independence and the deployment of Southern forces in Hadramout.

#BREAKING
South24 video: Massive crowds in Mukalla, Hadramout urge Aidarous Al-Zubaidi to “declare the state”#south24pic.twitter.com/t9hWBQkIe0

— South24 | English (@South24E) December 29, 2025

During the event, the Acting Head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) Local Leadership in Hadramout, Mohammed Batis, said in a speech that "the time has come for South Arabia to restore its state," emphasizing the commitment to moving forward to achieve "the goal of the people of the South." 

Batis also called on the President of the STC, Aden-based Major General Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, to proclaim the South Arabia State, asserting that the Hadrami Elite Forces represent "Hadramout's safety valve and its protective shield" in the face of terrorism and corruption. 

#BREAKING
South24 Video: Hadramis express support for declaring a Southern state through Hadrami folklore moments ago in Mukalla#south24pic.twitter.com/xNB3CiRD7P

— South24 | English (@South24E) December 29, 2025

He added that "Hadramout has long suffered from marginalization, corruption, and the erosion of its right to manage its land and resources."

Photos and video clips broadcast by South24 showed huge crowds in Mukalla chanting the Southern National Anthem and raising slogans, including: "Aidrous, proclaim it a state," alongside Hadrami folklore performances, reflecting popular support for the proclamation of a South State.

The final statement of the mass rally urged the Southern political leadership to expedite the proclamation of the South Arabia Federal State, while affirming support for the continued presence of the Southern Forces and the Hadrami Elite Forces to protect the gains and safeguard resources.

The statement emphasized that Hadramout represents a strategic depth for the South, rejecting any attempts to detach it from its Southern identity. 

It also stressed full support for the Hadrami Elite Forces in pursuing outlawed militias.

#BREAKING
“Our people are oppressed”: Watch a Hadrami folklore group perform at Mukalla rally backing the Southern Transitional Council#south24pic.twitter.com/8M8cLyNy94

— South24 | English (@South24E) December 29, 2025

Furthermore, the statement called on the international community to respect the will of the people of the South and their legitimate right to self-determination and the restoration of their State, while simultaneously affirming the strength of the strategic relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

A similar, larger-scale event was held yesterday, Sunday (December 28), in the city of Seiyun in Wadi Hadramout, where crowds confirmed their support for the Hadrami Elite and Southern Forces, demanding the proclamation of the South Arabia State.