Displaced northerners 'feel safer' in south Yemen after STC withdrawal Submitted by MEE correspondent on Mon, 01/12/2026 - 10:18 Families who fled the north say separatists treated them 'as invaders of the south' A displaced Yemeni man looks at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Marib, Yemen, 29 October 2024 (Reuters/Amr Alfiky) Off For displaced families in southern Yemen , the fall of separatist control in Aden has brought a rare moment of relief. As their forces withdrew and their authority collapsed, the pressure eased on northerners who had endured detention, suspicion, and limits on their movement for years. Over the past several years, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful separatist movement demanding independence for the south, increasingly viewed northerners in southern governorates as an obstacle to its goals. On multiple occasions, STC forces forcibly evicted northerners from Aden and other cities, transporting them toward Taiz in trucks under accusations of spying for the internationally recognised government or the Houthi movement, which controls much of Yemen’s north and west. While many were eventually allowed to return, the threat of detention and restricted movement loomed constantly over displaced families. In December, after clashes between government forces and the STC in eastern governorates, separatist fighters once again blocked northerners from entering Aden, the temporary capital of the internationally recognised government. Dozens were detained on accusations of working for the Saudi -backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). As Saudi Arabia launched air strikes in response to the STC’s advance into Hadhramaut and al-Mahrah , PLC chief Rashad al-Alimi warned the separatists on 3 January against imposing movement restrictions on Aden and called for an immediate and unconditional end to the blockade. The following day, the STC allowed northerners to enter the city. But the standoff quickly unravelled: Saudi-backed forces advanced, STC control collapsed, and government troops retook Aden and surrounding areas. In the aftermath, reports emerged that STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi had fled Yemen and that the separatist group had dissolved. Among the most vulnerable victims of these escalations were the displaced people who had fled Houthi-controlled areas or active frontlines in search of relative safety in the south. 'We feel safer now' Gaber, 47, fled Hodeidah governorate after the war destroyed his home. He settled in a camp in Lahj governorate, about 20km from Aden, where he works as a farmer, the trade he inherited from his father. “We arrived here six years ago because it was a safe area with work opportunities on the surrounding farms,” he told Middle East Eye. But peace has proved elusive. Local communities frequently accuse displaced northerners of being undercover soldiers or spies for the STC’s opponents. “One night last year, military vehicles arrived at the camp,” Gaber recalled. “They arrested me and several others, took us to a jail in Aden, and accused us of being soldiers.” Yemen: STC control evaporates in Aden as its would-be capital switches sides Read More » He was only released after signing a pledge to leave the south and return north, a departure he managed to avoid only through mediation by local Lahj authorities. “Whenever there is an escalation against the STC, they come to the camp and arrest us. We live a hard life in this desert, but we have no choice. If we go home, there is no work.” While local reports estimate around one million northerners have fled to southern governorates, the STC claims the number exceeds four million, a figure many view as unrealistic. Gaber noted that many people detained since 15 December 2025 were released one day before the STC withdrew from Aden and Lahj. “The recent detainees were released, but there are others from last year we haven’t heard from. I hope the new forces controlling Aden release them all,” he said. PLC forces now control Aden, fighting, in theory, for a unified Yemen, amid conflicting reports that the STC has dissolved - a development that gives displaced families cautious hope. “We feel safer now and hope to enjoy peace in the south,” Gaber said. “We can build the south together with the local community here, as it seems we won’t be returning home any time soon.” An estimated 4.8 million people remain displaced across Yemen, many living in makeshift shelters with little protection from harsh weather and minimal access to basic services, according to the International Organisation for Migration and the United Nations. 'Invaders of the south' In other camps on Aden’s outskirts, families had faced constant threats of eviction under STC control. Zainab, an elderly woman and one of the few willing to speak on the record, said many displaced families have already fled back to Hodeidah and Taiz. By standing up to Abu Dhabi, Riyadh could reshape the Middle East Read More » “They call us ‘invaders’ of the south rather than displaced families fleeing war,” she said. “They arrest our men, and if anyone tries to negotiate, they beat them.” Despite living in the camp for four years, Zainab said her family still cannot obtain identification cards, which are increasingly reserved for southerners. “In every military campaign against us, men are forced to sign papers promising to leave the south,” she said “Many actually have left for northern governorates, but we didn’t leave because the men are fishermen and farmers, and we are near the sea and farms here, they can actually find work.” Zainab added that many in the camp felt relieved when PLC forces took control of Aden. “I am sure those who were evicted will return when they hear the campaigns against northerners have stopped. We want the southerners to achieve their goals, but we also want to sleep safely,” she said. A history of mistrust The recent developments were also marked by calls on social media for the mass eviction of northerners – animosity rooted in the deep scars of Yemen’s war. “In 2015, we had a bad experience,” said Saif al-Yafei, an STC supporter. 'We can build the south together with the local community here' - Gaber, displaced northerner “Many street vendors and labourers turned out to be Houthi fighters. I remember the vegetable seller I used to buy from suddenly carrying a Kalashnikov and fighting for the Houthis. “How can I trust northerners during an escalation?” In 2015, civilians on both sides joined the fight under the name of resistance in many governorates, including Aden. Yafei said the recent conflict in Hadhramaut involved northern forces backed by Saudi Arabia, further deepening the divide. While he believes northerners have a right to live anywhere, he is wary of the considerable volume of displaced people. “I don’t say we must evict them all, but we must be cautious during times of war,” he said. For displaced people like Gaber, politics are secondary to survival: “I don’t know anything about politics, and I don’t want to… All I need is to go to work and come home safely.” Yemen War Aden, Yemen News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0