This is CBS I on the World. I'm John Batsu. Bill Rajo, Senior Fellow Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, keeps the Long Word Journal where you can see reporting by our guide to Yemen and the Civil War raging in the Persian Gulf.

Bridget Toomey of the FD.

Bridget, a very good day to you.

Your new report is about something I've never come across before in Yemen, the Southern

Transitional Council.

I'm guessing there's a lot of backstory here.

What's happened in Yemen for the Civil War that the Southern Transitional Council is now capturing cities?

Good evening to you, Bridget.

Hi, John.

So the Southern Transitional Council is part of Yemen's government, and they've effectively controlled the interim capital of Aden on the southern

coast and some other southern territories. They advocate for southern secession. So prior to 1990,

Yemen was two states. And there are many in the south that would like to see a return to

to Yemen's, essentially. So these southern forces have started moving eastward,

and they have, they've at this point, taken, captured the eastern governorates, which were part

of what had been the southern Yemen state prior to 1990. And this, they're, you know, claiming this isn't a mission of counterterrorism, counter-smuggling.

These governments have had a bit of an al-Qaeda presence in some parts, and they have

smuggling routes that both al-Qaeda and the Houthis use.

So they are kind of moving to,

in their words, kind of instill security. But some in these areas are more closely aligned with

other parts of the internationally recognized government that do not advocate for secession,

that argue for one Yemen.

So they are opposed to this kind of southern advance through, which could potentially set the stage for the South, declaring a secession, declaring a second, another state.

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