"Crowds took part in a huge demonstration on Wednesday in the city of Ataq, capital of Shabwah province in southern Yemen, in support of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).   Footage shows protesters gathering in the city square, waving flags of southern Yemen and holding portraits of STC leader Aidrous al-Zubaidi. The STC group backs a federal 'State of South Arabia' in southern Yemen.   “We are here in the southern provinces to make our voices heard by the world, the presidency, and His Excellency Aidrous al-Zubaidi,” said Abdul Rahman Badran, one of the demonstrators. “We tell him: move forward, you are the captain of the ship, and we stand behind you.”   In recent days, several Yemeni cities have witnessed mass rallies calling for the declaration of an independent southern Arab state and voicing support for the Southern Transitional Council.   These demonstrations come around one month after the launch of a military operation dubbed 'The Promising Future', which according to the STC aimed to "liberate the cities and regions of Wadi Hadramaut and the Hadramaut desert from terrorist organisations and militias affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood", and advance towards the eastern province of Al-Mahra. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has called on the group to 'peacefully' withdraw. Rashad al-Alimi, chair of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council said that STC actions meant "serious violations against civilians". "