2009–2014 separatist protests and attacks on government forces
This article is about the ongoing conflict in southern Yemen. For other such insurgencies, see Insurgency in Yemen.
This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(March 2024)
South Yemen insurgency
Part of the Yemeni Crisis (2011–present) and the Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Political and military control in Yemen in March 2024:
Republic of Yemen (recognized by United Nations), pro-PLC Yemeni Armed Forces and General People's Congress
Republic of Yemen, territories controlled by pro-PLC Southern Transitional Council
Republic of Yemen, pro-PLC Yemeni National Resistance
Republic of Yemen, pro-PLC Hadrami Elite Forces
Supreme Political Council, pro-SPC Yemeni Armed Forces, Houthi movement
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
(For a map of the military situation in Yemen and border areas in Saudi Arabia, see the detailed map here.)
Date
27 April 2009 – present (15 years and 6 days)
Location
Southern Yemen
Result
Escalated into a Crisis and full-scale civil war with foreign intervention. Southern Transitional Council formed in 2017.
Territorial changes
STC took over Hadhramaut Governorate, Ad Dali' Governorate, and Aden. (see also a detailed map)
Belligerents
Government
Yemen Army
Yemeni Republican Guard
Yemeni Air Force
Yemen Paramilitary
Pro-government tribes[1]
Al-Islah militias
Supported by:
Saudi Arabia[2][3]
Southern Transitional Council (since 2017)
Southern Movement
Southern Resistance[4]
Security Belt
Supported by:
United Arab Emirates
Commanders and leaders
Rashad al-Alimi (2022–present)
Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak (2024–present)
Mohsen Mohammed Al-Daeri (2022–present)
Sagheer Hamoud Aziz (2021–present)
Former commanders
Ali Abdullah Saleh †
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
Ali Muhammad Mujawar
Mohammed Basindawa
Abdullah Mohsen al-Akwa
Khaled Bahah
Ahmed Obaid Bin Dagher
Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed
Mohammed Nasser Ahmed
Mahmoud al-Subaihi
Mohammed Ali Al-Maqdashi
Abdullah Al-Nakha'ai
Taher al-Aqili
Aidarus al-Zoubaidi Hassan Baoum* (POW) Fawaz Baoum* (POW) Tahir Tamah Tareq al-Fadhli Ali Salim al-Beidh Yasin Said Numan Ali Saleh al-Yafee † Ahmed Bamualem (POW) Ali al-Saadi (POW) Ali Saif Mohammed Mohsin al Twairah
Abbas Tanba †
Casualties and losses
254 killed[5]
1,900 injured[5]
(Government claim)
1,800 killed[6][7]
500+ Detained (over 350 released)[8][9]
*Released
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Internal conflicts in modern Yemen
Alwaziri coup
Yemeni–Adenese clan violence
North Yemen Civil War
Aden Emergency
Yemenite War of 1972
NDF Rebellion
Yemenite War of 1979
South Yemen Civil War
Yemeni Civil War (1994)
Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen
Houthi insurgency in Yemen
South Yemen insurgency
Yemeni Crisis
Yemeni Revolution
Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Part of a series on the Yemeni crisis
Main topics
Yemeni Revolution
2012 Yemeni presidential election
Houthi insurgency
al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen
South Yemen insurgency
Houthi takeover in Yemen
Aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen
Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war
COVID-19 pandemic
Background
History of Yemen
Yemeni unification
Yemeni peace process
Human rights in Yemen
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e
The South Yemen insurgency is a term used by the Yemeni government to describe the protests and attacks on government forces in southern Yemen, ongoing since 27 April 2009. Although the violence has been blamed on elements within the southern secessionist movement, leaders of the group maintain that their aims of independence are to be achieved through peaceful means, and claim that attacks are from ordinary citizens in response to the government's provocative actions. The insurgency comes amid the Shia insurgency in the country's north as led by the Houthi communities. Southern leaders led a brief, unsuccessful secession in 1994 following unification. Many of them are involved in the present secession movement. Southern separatist insurgents are active mainly in the area of former South Yemen, but also in Ad Dali' Governorate, which was not a part of the independent southern state.[10] They are supported by the United Arab Emirates, even though the UAE is a member of the Saudi Arabian-led coalition working to support the Yemeni government.[11]
^"Violent Clashes between Al-Maraqeshah and Gunmen of Mobility in Abyan". Yemen Post. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^Cite error: The named reference Saudi1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Saudi2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Army-separatist clash kills four in south Yemen". The Daily Star. 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
^ ab"Yemen after Saleh: A future fraught with violence". Archived from the original on August 25, 2012.
^"South Yemen: Is It About to Declare Independence? - TIME". TIME.com. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
^"500 'Qaida' Killed, Aid Needed, Says Yemen Army". Naharnet. 5 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
^[1] Archived 2010-04-18 at the Wayback Machine, "NewsYemen". Archived from the original on 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
^"Tracker: Unrest in Southern Yemen - Critical Threats". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
^"Yemen policeman shot dead in restive south". AFP. Archived from the original on 2012-06-23. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
^"Yemen on the brink: how the UAE is profiting from the chaos of civil war". The Guardian. 21 December 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
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