Protesters say that living conditions have deteriorated sharply in the UAE-controlled southern region. Hundreds of Yemenis took to the streets of Aden on 20 June, for a third day of protests against the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which controls the southern port city and its surrounding areas.
Protesters have blocked several main roads to condemn the deterioration of public services, skyrocketing fuel prices, as well as dire living conditions across the region.
Aden has been experiencing rolling blackouts and fuel shortages, just as a sweltering heatwave has hit the city.
Angry demonstrators began taking to the streets after the STC-controlled oil company announced a 14 percent hike in gas prices.
The decision came into effect on 19 June, increasing the price of a 20-liter gallon of gasoline in commercial stations from 22,500 riyals to 25,800 riyals ($23).
Protesters have vowed to escalate their actions if STC authorities fail to respond to their demands. They have also accused authorities of manipulating food prices, as well as the provision of electricity.
Protesters say they are ready to storm Maashiq Palace if their demands remain unheard. The palace is located in Crater District and is used by the UAE-backed president and members of the presidential council as their residence.
Last September, hundreds of demonstrators broke into Maashiq Palace in protest against the lack of basic services, poor living conditions, and the sharp depreciation of the local currency.
Yemen has been undergoing a severe fuel and food crisis as a result of an air and naval blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition.
Despite the recent signing of a truce agreement between the coalition and the Sanaa-based government, several fuel shipments with UN clearance have been illegally detained by the Saudi navy.
At the onset of the war on Yemen in 2015, Saudi Arabia and the UAE divided their military-strategic roles in Yemen in accordance with country’s former partition lines of 1967–1990.
Known for its brutality and ruthlessness, the STC was trained, equipped, and fully funded by Abu Dhabi.
According to an analysis by The Cradle, the council was established to provide the illusion of a governing authority, which could then bestow a semblance of “legitimacy” on the unlawful actions by the UAE in the south of Yemen.