Aden (South24 Center)

The Specialized Criminal Prosecution in the capital, Aden, issued an order for the forcible arrest of Southern Transitional Council (STC) leader Waddah Al-Halmi, the acting secretary-general of the council.

In an initial reaction, STC spokesperson Anwar Al-Tamimi said in a press release on April 13 that the arrest warrant came “suddenly,” asserting that it lacks any clear legal grounds.

The statement described the move as a political escalation targeting the council’s leadership, linking it to Al-Halmi’s role in reactivating the council’s organizational bodies.

It added that targeting Al-Halmi falls within what it described as “attempts to intimidate active leadership” after the council’s opponents failed to confront it politically or through public mobilization.

According to the statement, the council’s leaders, headed by Al-Halmi, played a pivotal role in organizing recent public protests, which resulted in the reopening of council offices across several governorates.

The statement emphasized that such measures would not deter him from pursuing the Southern national project, holding the parties behind the decision responsible for any potential repercussions.

Waddah Al-Halmi currently serves as the acting secretary-general of the STC, having been appointed by council president Aidarous Al-Zubaidi last January.

In recent days, Al-Halmi has issued several organizational decisions, including appointments within the General Secretariat, as part of a restructuring of the council’s administrative framework.

South24 Center has not yet been able to verify the background of this legal procedure, nor has it reviewed the text of the prosecution’s order or its official justifications.