Aden (South24)

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In the middle of notable security, precautionary measures and organizational restrictions, the 4th session of the STC's National Assembly was held in Aden today under the slogan of "continuing the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement is our demand and restoring the state is our end goal".

The National Assembly is a representative authority in the STC and constitutes a parliament. Consisting of 303 members from different governorates and districts from across South Yemen and carries a legislative authority in the council.

(Photo: Ahmed Shihab)

In the ceremony - which South24 corresponding team were invited -. Prominent political and military figures attended including the STC President Aidros Al-Zubaidi, Aden Governor Ahmed Lamlas and the National Assembly President Ahmed Bin Break. 

State Building

STC President confirmed in his speech on "activating the National Assembly and its monitory role on the STC's authorities and South's state institution".

Al-Zubaidi drew attention to that South lives a phase of "transition from revolution to state and building the destructed institutions after the unity with the Yemen Arab Republic in North Yemen".

The National Assembly President, Ahmed Bin Break said that the STC "carries a comprehensive state-building project".

The STC is "the Southerners' representative and the carrier of their expectations to their desired state which martyrs sacrificed for", Bin Break emphasized.

Affirming the Riyadh Agreement

The session is held in parallel with the resumption of the negotiations to implement the Riyadh Agreement where meetings are held between the STC and the pro-Yemeni presidency government delegations where the STC maintain 6 ministry cabinets in the new parity government.

Aidros Al-Zubaidi did not miss the chance to reassure their adherence to "completely implement the Riyadh Agreement" noting the "efforts consumed by Saudi Arabia to achieve it".

Southern leaders warned from "attempts made to fail the Riyadh Agreement by forces that control the decision of the Yemeni presidency and launch a war of service and living against Southerners and try to invade their land".

War against terrorism

Speaking on "terrorism" and its Southerners' targeting took the biggest bulk of Southern leader's speech on Wednesday.

"South's war against terrorism started since the first atoning fatwa issued against it in 1994 by Northern forces" Al-Zubaidi pointed out.

Al-Zubaidi considered the Southern forces war against terrorism a "war for securing South's security and the entire region. A strategic region that's important to the entire world".

The National Assembly President addressed regional countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE (Arab Coalition) in the necessity to "support Southerners in their war against terrorism and the Houthis".

"The blood of Arab Coalition troops are mixed with the blood of our Southern soldiers and we are the first defense barrier for the Gulf and Arab national security", Bin Break confirmed.

Bin Break pointed out that Hadramout, Shabwah and the remaining Southern governorate that pro-Islah and Yemeni presidency forces control "will be in the hands of their people very soon and will not go far from its Southern circumference.

(South24, Ali Hasan)

The National Assembly President sent a strongly worded message where he stated that "the countdown for terrorist and anti-South forces started today, from this moment that the 4th session of the National Assembly is held".

Bin Break accused pro-Yemeni presidency forces of "handing Abyan fronts to AQAP and ISIS".

These statements come after a series of "terrorist" attacks targeting Southern forces, the latest in which was last Friday where a booby-trapped motorcycle in Zinjibar city, Abyan governorate killed 8 soldiers and dozens wounded.

A Message to North

Ahmed Bin Break said that they're in South are "open to any solution that preserves the blood-shedding of both Southern and Northern people".

Bin Break affirmed the "neighboring, peace, coexistence and harmony" that the STC seek and welcomed "any Northern leadership seeking a compromise to return to the 1990 situation".

Bin Break cleared that they're in the STC are seeking "a peaceful and stable North" in the same amount that they want for the South.

The political solution and peace

Southern leaders confirmed their still and supportive position to "all international efforts to end the war and establish peace".

Aidros Al-Zubaidi accused the Houthis of attempting to "thwart efforts of the political solution due to their stubbornness".

"We defined our supportive position for peace and stability and refused any threats affecting regional security since we're an on-ground partner".

Al-Zubaidi stressed the "presence of the STC as the Southern people representative in every stage of the political process under the UN".

The session held in parallel to the international community calls on the importance of the Riyadh Agreement considering it a center of stability and security according to the US State Department announcement on Tuesday evening.

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- Main photo: Leaders from the STC, during the National Assembly event, Aden, June 16, 2021. (South24 / Ali Hasan)