Aden, Yemen – Large crowds began gathering this morning, Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the parade ground in the Khormaksar district of the interim capital, Aden. This is in preparation for the launch of the “Million-Man March of Loyalty and Steadfastness,” a scene reflecting an unprecedented state of political and security tension in the cities of southern Yemen. These popular movements come amidst a notable escalation. This was followed by a series of dramatic developments in recent hours that have returned the southern scene to a state of open tension. All of this is happening amid fears of the situation sliding into open clashes.
Context of the popular uprising
The leadership of the Southern Transitional Council called for this million-person march as a “popular uprising.” This came in response to a decision, described as surprising, issued from Riyadh on Friday. The decision dissolved the Southern Transitional Council and all its bodies, paving the way for a new southern conference under Saudi auspices. Public anger intensified with reports that the Southern Transitional Council delegation was being held in Saudi Arabia. This occurred amidst an exchange of accusations within the Presidential Leadership Council regarding the management of the next phase and the future of southern representation.
Goals of the million-person march and the protest roadmap
The organizing committee designated the parade ground in Aden and the Decision Square in Mukalla, Hadramawt Governorate, as the two main starting points for the demonstrations. The slogans focused on renewing the popular mandate for President Aidarus al-Zubaidi as the “leader of the southern project,” rejecting what the calls described as “external tutelage” and solutions imposed from outside the south. They also emphasized steadfastness on the ground and rejected any decisions to cancel or dissolve the movement that were issued against the popular will. Field reports and testimonies from activists on the “X” platform indicated that crowds began filling the squares in the early morning hours. This coincided with the arrival of large convoys from Radfan, al-Subaiha, and several neighboring governorates. They carried the flags of the former South Yemen and pictures of the president of the Southern Transitional Council.
