Aden, Yemen – The capital, Aden, is witnessing today, Thursday, the largest popular movement in years, as thousands continue their open sit-in at “Al-Arood Square” in the Khormaksar district.
This coincided with the arrival of huge human convoys that marched
from various southern governorates,
demanding the acceleration of the declaration of the federal “State of South Arabia”.
Parade Square: The Pulse of the Southern Movement
The open-ended sit-in, which was launched at the invitation of the Southern Transitional Council headed
by Aidarus al-Zubaidi last December, has entered its fourth week with unprecedented momentum.
In the past few hours, large crowds have gathered from Al-Dhali’, Yafa’, Abyan, and Shabwa.
This includes delegations from Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra, under the slogan “Second Independence”.
The square is transformed daily into a platform for political and cultural events,
with broad participation from women, youth, and school students.
This comes amid chants calling on the international community
and the Security Council to recognize the “right to self-determination”.
They raised the flags of the former southern state and pictures
of the political leadership of the Transitional Council.
Field and economic control
This popular pressure is driven by military and practical changes on the ground;
During December 2025, the southern forces consolidated
their control over most of the southern region.
This includes the resource-rich areas of Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah.
This gave supporters of “independence” high confidence in the ability
of the future state to be economically sustainable.
Securing international shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
Vow of escalation
Observers believe that the influx of convoys towards Aden is not merely
a symbolic demonstration, but rather a “popular referendum” on the ground.
It aims to give the Transitional Council the final mandate to declare disengagement.
As delegations continue to arrive, all eyes remain fixed on the capital, Aden.
This is pending a political decision that could change the map
of the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa forever.
