Credit: Gary Raynaldo / American Yemenis rally outside United Nations world headquarters in New York Aug. 19, 2019 in support of the Southern Yemen movement in the nation located in the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

“Two Yemens Is Better Than One War” read a placard being held by a protester rallying Monday in support of Southern Separatists in the war-torn  Arabian Peninsula nation of Yemen.  The Southern Separatists Movement, or South Yemen Movement, is a political movement and paramilitary organization active in the south of Yemen since 2007, demanding  secession from the  Republic of Yemen and a return to the former independent state of South Yemen.  Its political branch, the Southern Transitional Council led by Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, is the de facto leadership in all provinces of the south. In 2015, Saudi Arabia initiated a bombing campaign against its southern neighbor Yemen in what was essentially a proxy war — the Saudis backed a government that had been forced out of the capital by the Houthis, a group allied with Iran. The war in Yemen continues — in part with bombs the Saudi-led coalition of countries bought from the U.S.  From 7 to 10 August 2019, fighting between southern separatists and Yemeni government troops, who have been nominally allied as part of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition against the Houthi rebel group, resulted in separatists taking control of Aden, Yemen’s interim capital since 2015. Tensions had been building since 1 August when a ballistic missile reportedly fired by the Houthis struck the al-Galaa base in Aden during a military parade of the Security Belt, a southern militia trained and paid by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to sources. 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / Southern Yemeni Immigrants in USA rally in New York City Aug. 19, 2019

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Southern Yemeni Immigrants in USA call for Independence in Yemen.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Southern Yemeni Immigrants in USA call for Independence in Yemen at New York City rally Aug. 19, 2019.

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Southern Yemeni Immigrants rally in support of  separate Yemen movement. 

Credit: By Gary Raynaldo /  2 Yemens Is Better Than 1 War,  the protesters contend. Many proudly waved the old South Yemen flag during a rally to support the Southern Transitional Council. 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  New York Yemenis  express support for  Southern Transitional Council leader Aidarus al-Zoubaidi