South Yemen insurgency

Last updated
South Yemen insurgency
Part of the Yemeni Crisis (2011–present) and the Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Yemeni Civil War.svg
Political and military control in Yemen in March 2024:
   Republic of Yemen, territories controlled by pro-PLC Southern Transitional Council
(For a map of the military situation in Yemen and border areas in Saudi Arabia, see the detailed map here.)
Date27 April 2009 – present
(15 years, 7 months, 2 weeks and 2 days)
Location
Result Escalated into a Crisis and full-scale civil war with foreign intervention. Southern Transitional Council formed in 2017.
Territorial
changes
STC took over Hadhramaut Governorate, Ad Dali' Governorate, and Aden. (see also a detailed map)
Belligerents

Flag of Yemen.svg Government

Pro-government tribes [1]

Supported by:

Flag of South Yemen.svg Southern Transitional Council (since 2017)

Supported by:

Commanders and leaders

Flag of South Yemen.svg Aidarus al-Zoubaidi
Flag of South Yemen.svg Hassan Baoum* (POW)
Flag of South Yemen.svg Fawaz Baoum* (POW)
Flag of South Yemen.svg Tahir Tamah
Flag of South Yemen.svg Tareq al-Fadhli
Flag of South Yemen.svg Ali Salim al-Beidh
Flag of South Yemen.svg Yasin Said Numan
Flag of South Yemen.svg Ali Saleh al-Yafee  
Flag of South Yemen.svg Ahmed Bamualem (POW)
Flag of South Yemen.svg Ali al-Saadi (POW)
Flag of South Yemen.svg Ali Saif Mohammed
Flag of South Yemen.svg Mohsin al Twairah

Contents

Flag of South Yemen.svg Abbas Tanba  
Casualties and losses

254 killed [5]
1,900 injured [5]

(Government claim)

1,800 killed [6] [7]

500+ Detained (over 350 released) [8] [9]
*Released

The South Yemen insurgency is a term used by the Yemeni government to describe the protests and attacks on government forces in southern Yemen, ongoing since 27 April 2009. Although the violence has been blamed on elements within the southern secessionist movement, leaders of the group maintain that their aims of independence are to be achieved through peaceful means, and claim that attacks are from ordinary citizens in response to the government's provocative actions. The insurgency comes amid the Shia insurgency in the country's north as led by the Houthi communities. Southern leaders led a brief, unsuccessful secession in 1994 following unification. Many of them are involved in the present secession movement. Southern separatist insurgents are active mainly in the area of former South Yemen, but also in Ad Dali' Governorate, which was not a part of the independent southern state. [10] They are supported by the United Arab Emirates, even though the UAE is a member of the Saudi Arabian-led coalition working to support the Yemeni government. [11]

Insurgents

The political movement behind the so-called 'insurgency' is a group called the Southern Movement. Led by exiled South Yemeni leaders and opposition figures, this group calls for peaceful protests. However, their protests have recently often turned into riots, some with armed fighters. The insurgency has occasionally been linked by the Yemeni government to Islamist groups, including ex-military commanders and South-Yemeni tribes. South Yemen is home to several jihadist movements, some of which are believed to be affiliated with al-Qaeda, most notably a group called the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army. Naser al-Wahishi the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula expressed support for the South Yemeni separatist movement. [12] However leaders of the Southern Movement were quick to deny any links with al-Qaeda. [13] Many believe that Saleh's government used al-Qaeda as a means to win international support against insurgencies in the North and South.[ citation needed ] As a response to such accusations, Tariq al-Fadhli - one of the leaders of the southern movement - posted a video of himself on YouTube raising the American flag with the national anthem over his compound in an attempt to openly distance himself from Al-Qaeda. [14]

There are many leaders within the movement, including Fadi Hassan Ahmed Baoum who is head of the Southern Movement's Supreme Council. He was arrested and later released by Yemeni authorities. Meanwhile, Tahir Tamah has been said to be behind the group's militant faction. [9]

Timeline

2009–2011 insurgency

2011 Yemeni revolution

Situation in March 2012, showing the area where there was presence of South Yemen resistance Yemen division 2012-3-11.svg
Situation in March 2012, showing the area where there was presence of South Yemen resistance

Post-Revolution (2012)

The southern movement, like the Houthis rejected a GCC brokered deal between the GPC and Al-Islah and boycotted the February 21, 2012 presidential election leaving Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi as only candidate. [60]

2013

2014

An activist with Southern Movement confirmed the clash, saying the attackers belonged to the militant Southern Resistance group. [4]

2015

2016

2017

In the end of April 2017, Governor of the Aden Governorate Aidarus al-Zoubaidi was sacked by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, with the reason of disloyalty to him, and loyalty to the Southern Movement. On 3 May 2017, major rallies were held in Aden to protest the decision of Hadi. One week later, Southern Transitional Council was formed, and some of the members were the governors of Dhale, Shabwah, Hadhramaut, Lahij, Socotra, and Al Mahrah governorates. It also have partial control in Abyan and Aden governorates. One day later, Hadi rejected the council, and called it illegitimate. [67] [68] [69] [70]

2018

2019

Situation in June 2020, showing areas controlled by the Southern Transitional Council in yellow. Yemen Warmap with Frontlines.png
Situation in June 2020, showing areas controlled by the Southern Transitional Council in yellow.

2022

Situation in November 2022, showing areas controlled by the Southern Transitional Council in yellow and orange after the offensive Yemeni Civil War.svg
Situation in November 2022, showing areas controlled by the Southern Transitional Council in yellow and orange after the offensive

2023

2024

See also

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