Latest Situation in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra, December 6, 2025 (Map)
According to the latest reports on the movements of Southern Transitional Council (STC) fighters in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen, political authority in these regions remains formally under the governors of the ousted government, yet southern forces are seizing key sites including airports and border crossings.
Control of the 23rd Mika Brigade headquarters in the Al-Abr area, which had recently fallen to STC fighters, was handed over to Al-Dara’ Al-Watan forces (Saudi-backed) under the mediation and pressure of the Saudi security-military committee. This indicates that Riyadh has blocked the southern advance toward Marib and prevented further escalation with Islah Party elements.
Meanwhile, the Shahn and Sarfait border crossings along Yemen’s frontier with Oman have come under STC control, with customs offices refusing to clear shipments without southern authorization. Flags of South Yemen have been raised at these crossings and other border points in Al-Mahra province.
The Hadhramaut Tribal Council has held the UAE fully responsible for the ongoing tensions and clashes in Hadhramaut, accusing southern fighters of attacking tribal forces. The council filed a complaint to the “International Quartet” (United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and UAE), alleging violations of the ceasefire, and urged the Saudi-Emirati coalition leadership to intervene against Abu Dhabi. This complaint comes despite the UAE itself being a member of the Quartet and a co-leader of the coalition alongside Saudi Arabia.
Overall, the Southern Transitional Council has exploited the recent political and economic turmoil in Yemen’s occupied areas to consolidate control over eastern Yemen. Given the weak administrative capacity of the southern forces, conditions in the east are expected to remain volatile and subject to further shifts.
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