Pro-government forces secure full control of Yemen’s Al-Mahra after STC’s withdrawal
Handover process between National Shield Forces, STC forces carried out smoothly during meeting attended by leaders from both sides, official tells Anadolu
Pro-government tribal forces take control of several military sites belonging to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the city of Mukalla, Hadramawt province, Yemen on January 3, 2026.
ISTANBUL
Pro-government forces have taken control of all districts of Yemen’s eastern Al-Mahra province after the withdrawal of Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, a local official told Anadolu.
Mohammed Omar Suwailim, director general of the Youth and Sports Office in Al-Mahra, said Saturday the National Shield Forces have extended their control over all nine districts of Al-Mahra province after the withdrawal of STC forces.
He added that the “handover process between the National Shield Forces and STC forces was carried out smoothly during a meeting attended by leaders from both sides in Qishn district (about 170 kilometers west of the provincial capital, Al-Ghaydah).”
On Saturday, the Yemeni government said its National Shield Forces took full control of Hadhramaut’s desert and valley region after Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces withdrew, as Yemen’s state-run media reported STC troop withdrawal from Al-Ghaydah airport and the presidential palace in the eastern province of Al-Mahra.
The National Shield Forces were formed in 2023 with a decision from Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen's internationally recognized government, and operate under his command.
There was no immediate comment from the STC, which advocates southern secession and had taken control of Al-Mahra about a month ago.
Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, STC head Aidrous al-Zubaidi announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with parties in northern Yemen and a “referendum” on the future of the south.
The move came amid a rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. The UAE denied the accusation.
The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity.
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