ADEN — The Southern Transitional Council (STC) has strongly condemned the treacherous terrorist attack that targeted Southern commander Hamdi Shukri in the capital Aden, stressing that the incident is part of a larger conspiracy carried out by forces of terrorism and evil against the Southern national project aimed at restoring the state within its internationally recognized borders prior to May 22, 1990.

STC spokesperson Anwar Al-Tamimi said in a statement that the targeting of Commander Shukri falls within ongoing attempts to undermine the military and security achievements secured by Southerners through their sacrifices. 

He noted that the Southern Armed Forces, in all their formations, have served as a formidable shield against both the Houthi project and the Muslim Brotherhood project, along with their terrorist arms represented by Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

The statement added that the attack on Shukri in Aden, alongside the abduction of the commander of Al-Dhaba Brigade in Hadramout’s coast and systematic harassment of Southern military personnel, signals a dangerous intent to weaken Southern forces. 

These intentions, the STC stressed, are shared by the Houthis, the Muslim Brotherhood, and their terrorist affiliates, who suffered heavy defeats at the hands of Southern forces and now seek revenge by targeting their leaders and symbols.

Al-Tamimi further pointed out that orchestrated media campaigns against the Southern Armed Forces through lies and defamation have served as a cover and prelude to terrorist targeting. 

He emphasized that hostile media outlets have recently intensified fabrications, including false claims of secret prisons and abuses, in an attempt to create justifications for targeting Southern leaders, foremost among them Commander Hamdi Shukri.

Concluding the statement, the STC called on the Southern Armed Forces to maintain the highest levels of vigilance and caution to thwart the major conspiracy aimed at them and at the Southern liberation project as a whole, affirming that the South will remain free and dignified despite all plots.