Aden (South24 Center)

Major General Faraj Al-Bahsani, Vice President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has stated that unifying Southern Government Forces to operate under the Saudi-led Coalition's command "will be difficult."

In an interview held in Dubai, AFP quoted Al-Bahsani on Sunday (Jan 11) as saying: "It will be difficult to unify the forces, as announced by Rashad Al-Alimi, under a single banner led by the Coalition." 

He added: "The Southern Forces, whether affiliated with the STC, the Hadramout forces, or any other force, will not accept this."

Al-Bahsani’s remarks follow an announcement by PLC President Rashad Al-Alimi on Saturday (Jan 10) regarding the formation of a Supreme Military Committee led by Saudi Arabia. 

The committee is tasked with "preparing, equipping, and leading all military forces and formations," a move Al-Alimi said comes in preparation for what he described as the "next phase" if the Houthi group rejects peaceful solutions.

Read more at: PLC President Forms Saudi-Led Military Committee

Al-Alimi noted that the committee would work on supporting and preparing forces for any future developments, pointing out that since its formation, the Presidential Council has presented the Houthis with two paths: either peace or military confrontation.

According to political sources, this move is seen as part of Riyadh-led efforts to rearrange the military and political landscape within the internationally recognized Yemeni government, as part of attempts to revive the political roadmap that was stalled in October 2023 following regional escalation and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

Al-Bahsani is considered one of the most prominent Southern leaders backed by the UAE and is currently staying outside Yemen for medical treatment. He previously served as the Governor of Hadramout, South Yemen's largest and oil-rich governorate, which is one of the most strategic regions bordering Saudi Arabia.

In recent weeks, the governorate has witnessed rapid military and security developments. This followed a brief period where Southern forces secured Hadramout and Al-Mahra before Yemeni forces, backed by Saudi Arabia and Riyadh's air support, took control.

Saudi Arabia had previously announced its intention to host a dialogue involving Southern components to discuss just solutions for the South Issue. 

While the date for the dialogue has not yet been set, Al-Bahsani called for it to be held outside Saudi Arabia, considering that the success of any dialogue requires "an appropriate atmosphere" away from pressure.

In this context, he said: "If there is a suitable atmosphere for a real dialogue in Saudi Arabia, I will participate after my recovery. But if it is not serious, there is no need to participate." 

He added: "I call on Saudi Arabia to give Southerners the opportunity to meet outside the Kingdom, away from the pressures that will be exerted on participants if the dialogue is held in Riyadh."

Earlier, on Jan 9, in a striking development, a Southern delegation that had traveled to Riyadh announced the dissolution of the STC and the dismantling of its bodies, a decision that STC leaders said was made under direct pressure.

Read more at: Dissolution of the STC Announced from Riyadh

Al-Bahsani warned of the repercussions of this announcement, saying: "The STC has unified the South... announcing its dissolution from Riyadh undermines all these efforts and creates a vacuum that extremist forces will fill."

In the South, the STC continues to maintain broad popular support. On Saturday (Jan 10), the city of Aden witnessed a demonstration in which tens of thousands participated in support of the Council and its President, Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, despite official directives banning assemblies.