Sheffield, UK – The Southern Transitional Council’s Special Representative for Foreign Affairs, Amr al-Bayd, revealed a number of political surprises regarding the recent events in Hadramawt. He also disclosed the extent of the pressure exerted by Riyadh to exclude southern forces from the field operations in the oil-rich province.
Behind the scenes of the “December events”: Harsh Saudi conditions
During a large public meeting in the British city of Sheffield, with the participation of the Southern Transitional Council’s president, Major General Aidarus al-Zubaidi, via video link, al-Baidh explained that the Council had attempted to offer major “compromises and concessions” during the events of December 2025 to avert conflict in Hadramawt. However, the Saudi side insisted on an impossible condition: “the complete withdrawal of the Southern forces from Hadramawt.” Al-Baidh questioned the Saudi position, asking, “The Kingdom is currently dealing with the Southern forces on other fronts. How then did these forces suddenly become a threat to it in Hadramawt?”
Regarding the justifications for the southern military movements that provoked Riyadh’s ire, Al-Baidh asserted that they were a paramount security necessity aimed at securing Wadi Hadramawt and closing security gaps that had been exploited by Houthi-affiliated groups. Furthermore, they aimed to prevent the systematic smuggling of weapons that were passing through the valley to the Houthi group.
Comprehensive restructuring: The “Transitional Council” reviews its calculations
Domestically, Al-Bayd announced that the next phase would involve a “comprehensive restructuring of the Southern Transitional Council,” including a thorough review of its previous working methods. He emphasized that this step aims to align the council’s performance with the complex “demands of the current phase” facing the South, both militarily and diplomatically.
