A number of military brigades of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council STC announced on Saturday their decision to defect from the STC militias.
According to pro-coalition media outlets, hundreds of recruits in the ranks of the STC defected and joined the forces of mercenary leader Tariq Saleh on the west coast, due to the looting of their financial dues a year ago by the STC leaders.
This move came hours after the siege of the headquarters of the Saudi and Emirati forces in the city of Aden, south of Yemen, in light of a wave of anger among the STC recruits.
The mercenaries accused the STC leadership, headed by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, of stealing their wages, noting that their leaders were building luxury villas and palaces that were financed by looting billions of riyals from the port of Aden and other taxes and customs, while the salaries of the recruits had not been paid for a year.
This development coincides with demonstrations in the streets of Aden, during which the protesters demanded the coalition’s departure from the country.
