On Tuesday, Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and President of the National Assembly, chaired a meeting that included the leadership of the local authority, military and security commanders, district directors, and community committees in the capital, Aden. The meeting was dedicated to addressing the latest developments in the city amid growing public discontent and escalating protests resulting from the rapid deterioration of basic services.

At the start of the meeting, Al-Kathiri reaffirmed that the Southern Transitional Council has always stood—and will continue to stand—by the citizens and their legitimate demands, and their full right to peacefully express rejection of the current conditions, provided such actions remain within legal frameworks and regulations.

Al-Kathiri praised the exemplary conduct and high discipline shown by the military and security forces in response to the public outrage and protests witnessed in Aden over the past two days, especially in protecting demonstrators and preventing any acts of vandalism against public and private property.

He pointed out that hostile forces are seeking to exploit public frustration to incite chaos, destabilize security, and attempt to blame the STC and security forces for the ongoing deterioration. He stressed that these actors operate according to known agendas and will not succeed in undermining the unity of the southern internal front or the resilience of the capital, Aden.

Al-Kathiri confirmed that President Al-Zubaidi is closely monitoring the service and security situation in Aden and other provinces. In line with his directives, all STC-affiliated ministers currently abroad have been ordered to immediately return to Aden, as part of taking responsibility and moving closer to the suffering of the people.

During the meeting, Al-Kathiri announced that STC ministers in the government will soon hold a press conference to provide the public with a clear picture of the real causes behind the worsening situation. The conference will also expose those responsible for aggravating the crisis—foremost among them Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad Al-Alimi and Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak—as the main figures accountable for the deterioration of living and service conditions in Aden and other liberated areas.

The meeting concluded with a series of recommendations and assignments aimed at enhancing security coordination, submitting daily reports on the situation, and intensifying communication with the local community and community committees to monitor developments in real time to ensure the stability of the capital, Aden.