by Murad Abdu
ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The pro-secesssion Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Wednesday blamed the Yemeni government for rampant corruption, calling for public uprising in Aden and neighboring main cities.
"The southern people have the legitimate right to stage an uprising due to the rampant corruption and the starvation policies exercised by the government," the Aden-based STC said in a statement.
The statement urged the local government authorities and the governors of southern provinces "to declare a clear stand for the call aimed at ousting the Saudi-backed Yemeni government."
All the military units loyal to the STC will join the anti-government uprising and provide protection for the southern citizens, according to the statement.
The pro-secesssion council concluded its statement by calling "the southern people to take control over all the government's institutions which provide revenues and expel the pro-government officials."
"The economic collapse is frightening and the corruption practised by the government is indescribable and our southern people, who suffered so much, has nothing to lose anymore," said Mansour Saleh, a leading member of the STC.
Just a few hours after the STC's call for uprising, the internationally-backed Yemeni government warned the southern leaders of the dangerous consequences of such call.
"The STC's call for uprising might lead to riot and sabotage acts that would harm the security and unity of the country," the Yemeni cabinet said in a statement.
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government urged the STC to join the political process and reject the acts of violence including mobilization of some military units not linked to the country's Defense or Interior ministries, according to the statement released by Saba News Agency.
Observers said the current escalation of tension between Yemen's government and the STC might lead to deadly armed confrontations in Aden and other southeastern provinces with oil fields.
Some even called the Saudi-led coalition, which has the upper hand in southern Yemen, to intervene and exert efforts to prevent further escalation.
In January, forces loyal to the STC engaged in fierce armed confrontations with the government Presidential Protection Forces over the control of Aden.
During the fighting, the forces loyal to the STC took control of the port city of Aden and other government headquarters after two days of clashes which left more than 38 killed and scores of others injured.
There have been rising tensions between southern separatist leaders and ministers of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government over the control of the southern half of the country after expelling Iran-backed Houthis from the region.
Aden, where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been based since 2015, is considered Yemen's temporary capital.
The Yemeni government, allied with the Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has been battling Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels for control of the country for more than three years.
The anti-Houthi coalition began an air campaign in March 2015 to eliminate Houthi presence and reinstate exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government.
The coalition also imposed air and sea blockade to prevent weapons from reaching Houthis, who seized control of the capital Sanaa and most of the northern Yemeni provinces.
