News - News: The Mahra Sit-in Committee issued a strong warning against the dangerous escalation initiated by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) militia in several areas of the province.

In a statement, the committee denounced recent armed incursions and military expansion, calling them a direct assault on Mahra’s security and stability and a deliberate attempt to draw the province into a state of chaos in service of external agendas.

The committee stated that the STC’s actions are part of a broader plan led by the UAE to undermine Mahra’s sovereignty and decision-making. It emphasized that such measures represent a continuation of efforts to impose a new reality through military force—an approach wholly rejected by the people of Mahra.

According to the statement, years of foreign presence in Mahra have weakened public services, restricted state institutions, and prevented them from fulfilling their responsibilities. The committee warned that the new military deployment by STC-aligned forces poses a serious threat to the province’s social cohesion and urged residents to resist any attempt to drag Mahra into conflicts that do not serve its interests.

The committee reiterated its categorical rejection of any external military presence, calling for the withdrawal of all armed groups brought in from Aden, Lahj, Al-Dhalea, and Yafa’. It stressed the need to enable local security institutions to carry out their duties independently and without foreign interference.

The committee also called on all components of Mahra’s society to unify ranks behind the legitimate local authorities to counter any effort aimed at destabilizing the province or imposing control by force. It affirmed that the people of Mahra are capable of safeguarding their land and maintaining its stability against all attempts to disrupt it.

The eastern province of Mahra has long been a focal point of geopolitical competition due to its strategic coastal access and proximity to the Omani border. Since 2017, Saudi and Emirati forces have maintained a presence in the region, facing consistent public opposition led by the Mahra Sit-in Committee, which has repeatedly condemned any attempts to reshape local governance through external military or political pressure. Recent movements by UAE-backed factions have raised local fears of renewed instability and efforts to impose foreign-backed territorial control.