Yemen’s STC Leads Protests Against Inclusion of Convicted Militants in Prisoner Exchange

Aden — The Southern Transitional Council (STC) spearheaded mass demonstrations across southern Yemeni provinces on Sunday, rejecting the inclusion of individuals convicted of assassinations and terrorism-related crimes in prisoner exchange lists between the Yemeni government and Houthi militias.

Thousands rallied in Aden, Hadramout, Lahj, Abyan, and Dhalea, launching a popular escalation program called by the STC. Protesters denounced what they described as “suspicious deals” aimed at releasing convicted militants under humanitarian pretexts, stressing that such individuals cannot be classified as prisoners of war.

Demonstrators expressed support for tribal mobilization campaigns in Shabwa and Lahj, pressing authorities to halt efforts to free those implicated in assassinations of senior military, security, and political leaders. They reaffirmed their commitment to the southern people’s right to self-determination and the restoration of an independent state, rejecting external guardianship and imposed political realities.

In a statement, the STC said the escalation program is “a first step to be followed by advanced measures to protect the people’s aspirations,” adding that mass mobilization sends a clear message that “the people are the supreme force that cannot be bypassed, and the era of external impositions on southern decision-making is over.”