Yemen's separatists announce a constitution for an independent south
NPR••general
Key Points:
- Yemen's UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced a constitution for an independent southern state called "South Arabia," escalating tensions in the ongoing civil war and challenging the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government.
- The STC's declaration follows recent seizures of two southern provinces and the Presidential Palace in Aden, with Saudi-backed government members fleeing to Riyadh, while Saudi warplanes bombed STC positions in Hadramout province amid ongoing clashes.
- Saudi Arabia demands the withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramout and Mahra provinces, but the STC has refused to disarm or cede control, leading to intensified fighting and Saudi airstrikes against separatist camps.
- The announcement threatens to further fracture the Saudi-led coalition that has been
