Armed clashes broke out on Wednesday between Yemeni government forces and fighters from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the oil-rich Hadramout governorate, as STC forces attempted to advance on the strategically located al-Ghuraf area.
Local activists posted videos showing STC units storming the presidential palace in the southern city of Seiyun. The group reportedly shelled the Yemeni army’s headquarters in Seiyun after positioning themselves in the nearby Jathma area on the Seiyun plateau.
According to local media reports, the Wadi Hadramout region has seen extensive military operations since early Wednesday, including heavy artillery exchanges. The hostilities highlight ongoing tensions between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the STC, a separatist group seeking the independence of southern Yemen.
The STC launched what it referred to as the “Promising Future” operation, declaring that the push came after the exhaustion of political alternatives aimed at stabilizing Hadramout. A statement shared by the group on Wednesday said the campaign intended to “end the state of security breakdown, and halt the exploitation of the region by forces alien to the valley [of Hadramout] and the governorate.”
The STC, which controls parts of southern Yemen including the port city of Aden, has long advocated for a return to southern independence, citing historical divisions prior to Yemen’s unification in 1990.
A Saudi delegation reportedly brokered a settlement between the opposing sides in Hadramout, though details of the agreement have not been publicized.
Yemen’s broader conflict continues despite several fronts being largely frozen. The Houthis, a group aligned with Iran, control northwestern Yemen and the capital, Sanaa. Their government in Sanaa has gained renewed attention since October 2023 due to attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israeli targets, linked to the conflict in Gaza.
In response to Houthi attacks, the United States and Israel have conducted airstrikes in Sanaa, killing civilians and Houthi political leaders. The situation remains volatile amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent further regional escalation.
