Southern Yemen leader urges popular mobilization against Houthis to defend autonomy
Aidarous al-Zubaidi appealed to southerners to rise against Houthi forces and safeguard the south’s autonomy in his first televised address since the STC lost its territory.
In a televised statement, Aidarous al-Zubaidi urged southern Yemenis to launch a popular mobilization against the Houthi militias and to defend the south’s autonomy. He declared the initiative a national liberation project aimed at countering the Iranian-linked expansionist agenda of the Houthis and other extremist groups. Al-Zubaidi also condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, linking them to the broader conflict.
His remarks arrive as Saudi-backed government forces, aided by former STC allies and other southern groups, work to reverse Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast. The call follows the Southern Transitional Council’s loss of its territory to the government in January, marking al-Zubaidi’s first TV appearance since that defeat. He referenced the historic South Yemen, which existed as an independent state from 1967 until its unification in 1990, to underscore the autonomy goal.
Why it matters
The mobilization call could heighten fighting and reshape power dynamics in Yemen’s volatile south.
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