Aden, Yemen – In a new and fiery response reflecting the extent of the clash between the Southern Transitional Council and its leader, Rashad al-Alimi, Mukhtar al-Yafei, head of the Council’s Social Affairs Authority, asserted that the will of the southern people cannot be seized by statements. He described al-Alimi’s actions as attempts to “jump over the wall.”
“The decision is made here.”
In a strongly worded post on the “X” platform, Al-Yafai addressed a direct message to those inside and outside, saying: “We declare it clearly: The decision is made here, where men stand and the will is present. Not there where helplessness dictates.”
Al-Yafai stressed the right of the people of the South to self-determination and to protect their land. He added: “We are the sons of this land and its rightful owners. We know when and how to respond. We know how to protect our security, preserve our partnerships, and thwart attempts to tamper with the destiny of South Arabia.”
Mocking the “state of emergency”
In his statement, Al-Yafai ridiculed Al-Alimi’s recent decisions, asserting that “decisions cannot be extracted through statements nor imposed by a fabricated state of emergency,” referring to the Southern Transitional Council’s absolute rejection of Al-Alimi’s unilateral declaration of a state of emergency.
The stance and the decisiveness
Al-Yafai concluded his statement by emphasizing the dominance of the southern position on the ground, saying: “This is South Arabia… This is where the situation is decided… This is where the outcome will be determined.” Observers see this as confirmation that the actual power on the ground will dictate the course of events, far removed from the faltering corridors of the presidency.
