Aden (South24 Center)

The local authority in Hadramout Governorate announced on Thursday, December 25, its support and endorsement of the decisions and directives taken by the leadership of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), led by Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, saying they reflect the “aspirations and will of the people of South Arabia to restore their state and sovereignty.”

The announcement was made in a video statement broadcast from within the governorate, in which the local authority reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, enhancing security, and improving service levels for citizens. They also praised the role of the Arab Coalition in supporting stability and development efforts in the governorate.

The statement was delivered in the presence of the Secretary-General of the local authority and Acting Governor of Hadramout, Saleh Al-Amqi, along with deputy governors, security officials, and district directors.

At the same time, a separate statement attributed to the local authority was published on its official Facebook page, aligning with a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement that described the Southern forces’ measures to secure Hadramout and Al-Mahra as “unilateral.”

However, an informed source told South24 Center that the statement “was issued from the Saudi capital, Riyadh,” explaining that Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi is currently in Riyadh amid what the source described as political pressure exerted on him to adopt specific positions regarding ongoing developments in the governorate.

In a related context, the Hadramout Tribal Alliance announced its support for the statement issued by the local authority from within the governorate and its backing of the STC’s decisions, considering them consistent with the aspirations of the people of Hadramout for security, stability, and the right to self-determination.

The Alliance welcomed the success of the “Promising Future” operation launched by the Southern Armed Forces in Wadi Hadramout on December 3, demanding the empowerment of the Hadrami Elite Forces in the Coast, the Wadi, and the Desert, and calling for a transitional security administration to ensure the governorate’s stability within a federal Southern state.

Separately, the Ministry of Interior announced its full support for the movements and measures of the Southern Transitional Council, affirming its alignment with the aspirations of the people of the South to consolidate sovereignty and preserve social peace. It praised what it described as “victories” achieved by the Southern Armed Forces in Wadi Hadramout, Al-Mahra, and Shabwa. This marks the first sovereign ministry to announce such a position from the capital, Aden.

At the government level, the Ministry of Oil and Minerals said in a statement issued on Thursday, in the presence of Minister Saeed Al-Shammasi, that it supports the STC leadership’s decisions and directives, affirming its commitment to protecting national resources and meeting domestic demand for oil products.

Additionally, the Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Education, issued separate statements expressing support for the political steps aimed at proclaiming the South Arabia State, amid a growing wave of official statements and endorsements by government institutions and local authorities in recent days.

These official positions come amid continued popular momentum supporting independence demands. The capital, Aden, witnessed a massive public gathering on Thursday with the arrival of a convoy from Dhalea Governorate, alongside participants from Abyan, to join an open sit-in demanding the proclamation of the South Arabia State.