Amidst escalating protests over the city's crippling electricity crisis, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has accused the Yemeni government of deliberately creating the power outages as a form of punishment against the southern population.

In a meeting of the STC's General Secretariat held on Monday, June 3, 2024, the council issued a statement condemning the "manufactured crisis" in Aden, the declared temporary capital of Yemen, and the southern provinces.

The statement, which was published on the STC's official website, highlighted the economic report presented by the General Secretariat's Economic Department, which pointed to the electricity crisis as a key contributor to the deteriorating living and economic conditions in the south. The council asserts that the crisis is a "punitive policy" aimed at the southern people.

The STC, which controls the political, security, and military affairs in Aden, reiterated its commitment to supporting the people of the south, stating that "the council's stance will always be with the people of the south, as they are part of it and it supports all their legitimate demands."

The council's statement comes on the heels of renewed protests in Aden on Sunday, June 2, where residents took to the streets to denounce the prolonged power outages. Protesters blocked major streets in the Sheikh Othman district, setting fire to tires and disrupting traffic. The demonstrations were fueled by the intensifying heatwave and the extended periods of darkness.

The escalating crisis has put pressure on both the Yemeni government and the STC, which controls Aden. On May 28, STC President Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, who is also a member of the Presidential Council, accused the government of "incompetence and failure," hinting at a potential withdrawal of the STC's participation in the Presidential Council and the government.

Al-Zubaidi warned that the "ongoing situation is no longer acceptable," adding that the STC "will not wait indefinitely for the government's failure and incompetence, and the continued deterioration of living conditions, reaching a level beyond our people's ability to endure and tolerate."

The city of Aden, which serves as the temporary capital, has been grappling with a severe electricity crisis that worsens each summer. Accusations of widespread corruption in the fuel importation process for power stations in the city have further exacerbated the situation. This year, power outages have exceeded 12 hours in duration, placing immense strain on both the government and the STC.