Aden: The Southern Transitional Council, with regret, is closely following the return of terrorist activity by terrorist organizations in the areas of the presence of the legitimate government in the governorates of Abyan, Shabwah, and Wadi Hadramout, with support and cover of the so-called Yemeni National Army, and they have conducted a number of terrorist operations, the latest of which was the bombing of the house of the leader of the rapid intervention forces.

As well as two soldiers from the security belt were martyred during an armed ambush by al-Qaeda terrorist operatives in Al-Mahfed district in the governorate of Abyan.

The Southern Transitional Council sees the return of Al-Qaeda and ISIS organizations' activities in the areas of the presence of the so-called legitimate forces as proof, with no doubt, of the close connection between the so-called National Army of the Muslim Brotherhood and these terrorist organizations and their actions targeting the leaders of the military and security units in the south, as well as the security and stability of the southern community in general.

What we see today from the return of increased activity of terrorist groups and their execution of a number of killings and bombings, including the recent terrorist operation, comes in the context of the systematic terrorist action targeting the southern national project, which has been going on for nearly two years, with the support of the Yemeni political systems and their security and military apparatus which harbor and nurture terrorism.

The southern security forces and their brave resistance, with the support from their brothers in the United Arab Emirates, were able to diminish the threat of terrorism and bring security and tranquility to various regions of the south, but these achievements were lost after recent developments which brought back the Islah militias to Shabwah governorate and the city of Shuqra in Abyan. The terrorist activity of al-Qaeda and ISIS has returned under the guise of the Yemeni legitimate government, facilitated and supported by its military and security forces.

The Southern Transitional Council considers the return and growth of terrorist activities and the targeting of southern cadres and leaders as a natural result of the third invasion of the south in August 2019, and therefore the Southern Transitional Council sees the importance and need of urgent response from our brothers in the Arab Coalition and the international community to put an end to the process of transforming the Yemeni army and security institution into institutions that foster and support terrorism instead of fighting it.

The Southern Transitional Council also appeals to our brothers in the Arab Coalition, and the international community, which is a partner in the war on terrorism, to provide the necessary support to the southern security forces to continue their efforts in combating terrorism and drying its sources.

While the Southern Transitional Council condemns the activities of the so-called Yemeni legitimacy dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, it reaffirms the continued efforts of the southern armed and security forces in combating terrorism and extremism and reducing the dangers of terrorism on the security and stability of the south and its people, as well as on shipping lanes, energy supplies, and international interests in our country.

Nizar Haitham

Official spokesman for Southern Transitional Council

Original source: The official website of STC