Thousands of pro-independence southern Yemenis demonstrate in Aden against President Hadi

Tens of thousands of pro-independence southern Yemenis rallied Thursday in Aden Province to protest the decision by President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to fire two high-ranking officials from the south.

The two sacked officials, Aden's Provincial Governor Aidarous Zubaidi and Southern State Minister Hani Bin Buraik, strongly support south secession and allegedly have strong ties with the United Arab Emirates, which Hadi accuses of training and equipping separatists in the south.

In response to Hadi's decisions announced on April 27, the pro-secession Southern Movement organized mass protests for five consecutive days in Aden and neighboring provinces.

Earlier Thursday, the sacked governor of Aden was declared leader of the country's southern regions during a mass demonstration held in the public square in Aden's neighborhood of KhorMaksar.

The southern leaders in Aden issued a political declaration that was widely supported and signed by several secessionist delegates from across the south.

The declaration received by Xinhua also announced the formation of a "political council" to represent the southern provinces and pursue southern independence.

Observers say that Thursday's declaration is a major blow to Hadi's government.

Hadi, who is currently in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, will face difficulties returning to Aden with the city under the control of the southern forces.

Yemen has been suffering from a civil war and a Saudi-led military intervention for around two years. The civil war began after the Houthi militants with support from forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh ousted the UN-backed transitional government and occupied the capital Sanaa militarily in September 2014.

The legitimate government controls the south and some eastern parts, while the Houthi-Saleh alliance controls the remaining areas including the capital Sanaa.

The UN has sponsored peace talks between the warring factions several times, but they failed to reach common ground.

The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have already killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians. Such conflicts also injured more than 35,000 others and displaced over 2 million, according to humanitarian agencies. Endi