ADEN, Yemen — A large crowd of protesters rallied in southern Yemen on Friday to call for the secession of the south and to show support for an Emirati-backed southern separatist group more than a week after it dismantled itself . Last weekend, protesters held a rally at the same location in Aden, Yemen’s interim capital where the internationally recognized government is based. The STC was established in 2017 as an umbrella organization for groups that seek to restore southern Yemen as an independent state. “Our state is coming, no matter the challenges, and we will continue the protests until the southern state is restored,” said another demonstrator Marwan al-Dahli. Protester Ahmed Salem said that establishing an independent state in the south would benefit residents there.

Source: Washington Post January 16, 2026 20:47 UTC