Supporters of UAE-backed separatist group rally in southern Yemen as regional tensions rise

Thousands of Yemenis have gathered in Aden to support a separatist group backed by the UAE. This comes a day after the group dissolved itself amid tensions with Yemen's internationally recognized government. Protesters in the Khor Maksar district chanted against Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government. They waved flags of Southern Yemen, which was independent until 1990. The Southern Transitional Council, established in 2017, sought to restore southern Yemen's independence. Internal disagreements and regional pressure led to its dissolution. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have risen, affecting their partnership in Yemen's ongoing civil war.