What to Know About Yemen's Bid to Become Two Countries

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Yemen is living through a pivotal moment that adds a new chapter to a turbulent modern history, one that has moved from colonial rule to independence, from unity to war, and now toward the declaration of a new southern state.

In the nineteenth century, Yemen was divided between two imperial powers. Britain took control of Aden and large parts of the south, while the Ottoman Empire extended its authority over the north. For decades, the country existed in practice as two separate entities, shaped by British influence in the south and Ottoman administration in the north.

This arrangement endured until World War I. With the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, Ottoman forces withdrew from northern Yemen, closing a long chapter of rule. In the aftermath, Imam Yahya Hamid al-Din declared the establishment of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.

In the south, British colonial rule continued for nearly half a century. That period ended in 1967, when the south achieved independence after an armed struggle. The new state was proclaimed as the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and adopted a socialist orientation, becoming an ally of the Soviet Union.

Relations between the two Yemens remained unstable. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the north and south experienced repeated border clashes, limited wars, and intermittent rounds of negotiations, reflecting deep political and ideological divisions.

In 1986, South Yemen was shaken by a bloody civil war that eliminated much of its political leadership. At the same time, the Soviet Union, the south’s principal backer, entered a period of collapse. These developments accelerated efforts toward unity.

On May 22, 1990, the flag of the Republic of Yemen was raised in Aden. Ali Abdullah Salih became president of the new state, with Ali Salim al-Abyad as his vice president. A new constitution for the unified Yemen was announced and later approved by referendum in 1991.

The unity experiment soon faced a severe test. On May 5, 1994, a civil war erupted between the former northern and southern partners, fueled by disputes over power-sharing and the integration of the armed forces. The conflict lasted until July of the same year and resulted in between seven thousand and ten thousand deaths.

The war ended with the victory of forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Salih. Southern leaders were defeated, and Ali Salim al-Abyad fled abroad. Rather than resolving tensions, the outcome deepened divisions.

Many in the south came to believe that peaceful unity had ended in 1994 and had been replaced by what they described as military occupation. They pointed to the dismissal of thousands of southern civil and military personnel and the seizure of land and property as evidence of systemic marginalization.

These grievances culminated in 2007 with the emergence of the “Southern Movement.” It began as a rights-based protest led by the Association of Retired Military Personnel but rapidly evolved into a mass political movement demanding disengagement from the north and the restoration of an independent southern state.

In 2011, amid the Arab Spring protests, calls for secession temporarily receded from the movement’s rhetoric. Southern activists joined nationwide demonstrations demanding the overthrow of Ali Abdullah Salih’s regime, aligning themselves with broader popular protests across Yemeni cities.

The balance of power shifted again after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and other areas in 2014. In this new context, the Southern Transitional Council was established in 2017, with Aidarous al-Zubaidi as its president.

The council went on to assert control over Aden and large areas of southern Yemen. In May 2023, it restructured its leadership body in Aden to include twenty-five members and appointed heads of its affiliated bodies. It also formed an advisory council comprising 392 members, intended to serve as a second legislative chamber alongside the National Assembly.

In the same year, the Southern Transitional Council convened a conference bringing together leaders and representatives of southern political components. The meeting concluded with the signing of a “national charter” for secession, citing what participants described as the political and economic marginalization of southern governorates.

At the beginning of 2026, the Southern Transitional Council issued a constitutional declaration setting a two-year period for the establishment of the State of South Arabia.

According to the declaration, the State of South Arabia is defined as an independent, sovereign state within the internationally recognized borders of the former People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, with Aden as its capital. It is described as part of the Arab and Islamic nation, with Arabic as its official language, Islam as its religion, and Islamic law as a primary source of legislation.

The declaration states that the political system of the State of South Arabia will be based on the separation of powers and a civil democratic system founded on popular will, the rule of law, justice, pluralism, and good governance. It specifies that the Yemeni people will determine the nature of the political system through a general referendum following the transitional phase.

The document outlines a transitional period of two years, which may be extended for a duration not exceeding the original term, by decision of the transitional legislative authority. This period is intended to complete the tasks set out in the declaration and related laws and to prepare the necessary conditions for building a democratic civil state based on popular sovereignty, the rule of law, and good governance.

From colonial division to unity, war, and now a renewed bid for southern statehood, Yemen stands at another historic crossroads, as the declaration of the State of South Arabia signals a profound shift in the country’s long and contested political journey.