al-Mahra

Al-Mahra is a governorate in eastern Yemen that has recently been at the center of a power struggle between the internationally recognized government (Presidential Leadership Council or PLC) and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). The STC, backed by the UAE, had expanded into al-Mahra and Hadramout, intensifying Yemen's fragmentation. However, in early January 2026, Saudi-backed government forces successfully reclaimed al-Mahra, along with other southern areas, from the STC. This followed Saudi Arabia's call for the STC to withdraw from the eastern governorates. The UAE has expressed support for Saudi Arabia's efforts to stabilize Yemen. The situation in al-Mahra is newsworthy because it reflects the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the competing interests of regional actors like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the challenges to maintaining a united Yemen. The future of al-Mahra, and Yemen as a whole, remains uncertain as the STC is set to attend talks in Saudi Arabia, potentially leading to a resolution of the conflict.