Deadly shooting in Aden after STC supporters storm palace
At least one person was killed and 11 others injured in Yemen’s southern city of Aden after security forces opened fire to disperse protesters linked to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC).
The incident occurred on Thursday when a crowd attempted to storm the gate of the al-Maashiq Presidential Palace, where Yemen’s internationally recognised government was holding its first official session in the city. It had obtained exclusive footage showing several wounded people at the scene, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani, marked the government’s return to Aden and took place amid growing opposition demonstrations.
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In a statement, the Aden Governorate Security Committee said security forces responded lawfully to what it described as armed protesters attempting to carry out “acts of sabotage.” The committee warned that it would not tolerate chaos or attacks on security personnel.
The STC, however, claimed that at least 21 people were wounded and accused security forces of using excessive force and live ammunition against demonstrators. The group called for an independent investigation and urged the international community to intervene, citing what it described as systematic repression against residents of Yemen’s southern governorates.
Backed by the United Arab Emirates, the STC had controlled Aden and much of southern Yemen until it was pushed back in early January by forces aligned with the Saudi Arabia-backed government.
On Friday, the STC announced it would not recognise the legitimacy of the newly formed government, calling its presence in Aden a “de facto authority” lacking popular support. The group warned that official government activity in southern Yemen would not create political obligations for southern representatives.
Yemen has remained deeply unstable since 2014, when Houthi movement fighters seized large parts of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. The STC, formed in 2017, continues to seek self-rule and independence for southern Yemen, keeping tensions high in the conflict-scarred nation.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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