Seiyun (South24 Center) 

On Sunday evening, November 30, the city of Seiyun, the largest urban center in Wadi Hadramout, witnessed a massive rally organized by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to mark the 58th anniversary of South Yemen’s Independence Day. Thousands of enthusiastic Southern citizens gathered for the celebration, braving the obstructive security restrictions imposed by the First Military District forces, affiliated with the Islah Party. 

South24’s correspondent reported that Al-Siteen Square thronged with multitudes of participants who arrived from various districts of Wadi Hadramout. The rally was attended by prominent STC leaders, most notably Ali Al-Kathiri, head of the National Assembly. 

#BREAKING
Video from South24 Center: Thousands participate in the Seiyun event in Hadramout on the glorious Independence Day anniversary.#south24pic.twitter.com/8dzt7Ldgza

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 30, 2025

Participants waved South Yemen flags and held aloft banners demanding political, security, and economic empowerment for the people of Hadramout. South24 also documented  notable participation by women in the celebrations. 

The crowds chanted slogans calling for the “liberation of Wadi Hadramout,” amid widespread public condemnation of what locals described as a “military presence imposed by force.” 

#BREAKING
Video from South24 Center: Chants demanding the "Liberation of Wadi Hadramout" during the Independence Day anniversary event in Seiyun.#south24pic.twitter.com/kViJSpJRlu

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 30, 2025

According to the South24 correspondent, “The First Military District forces stopped and prevented hundreds of buses carrying participants from reaching the square, before later allowing some to proceed following tribal interventions and public pressure.” Military checkpoints saw heavy deployment of northern forces at the entrance points of Seiyun in what appeared to be an attempt to isolate the rally from its surroundings. Photos showed the widespread presence of First Military District forces along several main roads within the city.

#Video

Some of the crowds prevented by the First Military District forces from reaching the Seiyun event to celebrate Independence Day#south24 pic.twitter.com/kmwAp2rK24

— South24 | English (@South24E) November 30, 2025

Mohammed Abdulmalik Al-Zubaidi, head of STC Wadi Hadramout, slammed the restrictions, terming them “regrettable and shameful,” stressing that Southerners “are determined to express their will despite all obstacles.”  

The rally’s final statement outlined several demands, most notably the withdrawal of the First Military District forces from Wadi Hadramout, describing their presence as “contrary to the will of the people of the governorate and obstructing their management of security affairs.” It also emphasized supporting and empowering the Hadhrami Elite Forces to take control of the entire governorate, portraying them as the most capable local force for maintaining security and stability. 

The statement also called for boosting the strength of the Southern forces to confront “cross-border threats and growing security risks,” highlighting their success in combating extremist organizations in recent years. 

On the economic front, the statement demanded that revenues from Hadramout’s vast oil resources and other southern regions be allocated to serve the local population and improve living and service conditions. It termed the continued control by non-local entities over these resources as “an injustice that is no longer acceptable.”