Aden (South24 Center)

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The Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced on Sunday (October 4) its readiness for general popular mobilization to defend South Yemen and its national project, calling for mass gatherings in Aden on October 14.

The council said an extraordinary expanded meeting of its central and local bodies in Aden had approved a central mass rally in the city and events across Southern governorates to mark the 63rd anniversary of the October 14 Revolution.

The announcement brings together two issues central to the council’s position: defending Southern territory against the Iran-aligned Houthi militia and rejecting political arrangements it says threaten its project of restoring an independent federal Southern state.

In its statement, the STC said the mobilization aimed to safeguard Southern gains, security and sovereignty against threats including the Houthis and their “Iranian expansionist project,” terrorist groups and what it described as forms of “guardianship and occupation.

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The meeting, held at the direction of STC President Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, named the event the “Mass Rally for General Popular Mobilization to Defend the Arab South and Its National Cause.”

It urged Southerners “from Al-Mahra in the east to Bab al-Mandeb in the west” to prepare to participate in the mobilization and attend the October 14 events in large numbers.

The council also called for the dismantling of recently formed, Saudi-funded “coordination councils,” accusing them of targeting the South cause and its political representation.

South24 Center previously published an analysis examining the formation of these Saudi-backed councils in several South governorates as part of efforts to reorganize Southern representation.

The dispute reflects the continuing fallout from January’s military and political crisis, which reversed the council’s territorial expansion and fractured its relationship with Riyadh.

The council, established in 2017, had been part of the Saudi-backed government camp opposing the Houthis. But advances by its forces in Hadramout and Shabwa in December 2025 led to an escalation with Saudi Arabia.

On January 2, the STC announced plans to hold a referendum on the independence of a “State of South Arabia” within two years.

Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Southern forces and deployed forces loyal to it to Hadramout.

The crisis between the two sides deepened after STC President Al-Zubaidi did not travel to Riyadh. Saudi authorities said he had left Yemen with Emirati assistance, while other council officials travelled to the Saudi capital for dialogue on the crisis.

On January 9, members of that delegation announced the council’s dissolution. Its leadership in Yemen rejected the announcement, saying it had been issued under coercion and that delegation members had been detained and pressured.

The announcement was followed by repeated demonstrations supporting the council and Southern independence. Thousands rallied in Aden on January 10 despite a ban imposed by local authorities citing security concerns.

Further gatherings followed on January 16 and 23, while protests spread to other Southern cities.

The demonstrations also became a source of confrontation with government-aligned forces. Human Rights Watch said in March that those forces appeared to have used excessive force against STC supporters during February protests and arbitrarily detained demonstrators.

The council continued to organize mass gatherings throughout the year. A statement issued for September 1 events in Aden and Mukalla reaffirmed its independence project, condemned Saudi Arabia’s January military intervention and rejected attempts to reorganize Southern forces or establish rival political bodies.

Sunday’s statement renewed the council’s opposition to the coordination councils while saluting Southern forces, resistance fighters and tribes deployed along border fronts.

The mobilization call also comes amid a renewed regional confrontation with the Houthis. Reuters reported on October 2 that Saudi Arabia was preparing a possible offensive led by Yemeni ground forces with Saudi air support, with options including a coastal operation to secure Red Sea shipping or attacks on several fronts.