The Democratic Republic of Yemen (Arabic: جمهورية اليمن الديمقراطية Jumhūrīyat al-Yaman ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah), colloquially known as South Yemen, was a breakaway state that fought against Yemen Arab Republic in the 1994 Yemeni Civil War. It was declared in May 1994 and covered all of the former South Yemen. The secession followed several weeks of fighting, which began on 27 April and lasted from 21 May 1994 until 7 July 1994. The civil war ended by the DRY strongholds of Mukalla and Aden falling to government forces.