UAE Allegedly Aided in Smuggling Yemen Separatist Leader Amid Tensions

Sat Jan 10 2026 02:13:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Saudi-led coalition claims that the UAE facilitated the departure of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the leader of the Southern Transitional Council, from Yemen following accusations of treason.

In a significant development, the Saudi-led coalition has accused the UAE of helping Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the head of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council, escape the country. Al-Zubaidi reportedly fled from Aden to Somaliland before being transported to Abu Dhabi. This comes amid rising tensions between various factions in Yemen and growing discord between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, crucial allies in the ongoing conflict. The STC has countered these assertions, claiming al-Zubaidi is still in Aden and pointing to coalition airstrikes as unjustified actions.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has alleged the United Arab Emirates helped smuggle a separatist leader out of the country after he was expelled from Yemen's presidential council and accused of treason.

A coalition spokesman stated that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled Aden on Tuesday night in a boat to Somaliland. From there, he was flown by a cargo aircraft to Abu Dhabi via Mogadishu under the supervision of UAE officers.

There has been no immediate comment from the UAE or STC. The STC asserts that Zubaidi was still operating from Aden on Wednesday, despite the coalition's claim that he had fled to an undisclosed location.

The coalition also accused Zubaidi of relocating STC forces from bases in Aden to his home province of al-Dahle, which prompted coalition air strikes that reportedly killed four individuals. The STC labeled these strikes as unjustified and inconsistent with the dialogue calls with Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Maj Gen Turki al-Malki, a coalition spokesman, mentioned that Zubaidi and his associates escaped from Aden's port early Wednesday on board a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged ship that sailed across the Gulf of Aden to Berbera in Somaliland. There, a cargo aircraft awaited to transport them.

Under UAE supervision, Zubaidi and his associates boarded the aircraft, which first flew to Mogadishu and then moved towards the Arabian Sea without a stated destination. The identification systems of the aircraft were reportedly turned off while over the Gulf of Oman and were only reactivated prior to landing at Al-Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

The situation in southern Yemen is teetering towards renewed conflict, especially as STC-aligned forces continue to vie for control against forces loyal to the government. Saudi Arabia has expressed concerns over the security implications of such advances near its border.

Following these tensions, coalition airstrikes targeted a shipment deemed to contain military supplies for the STC that originated from the UAE. While the UAE expressed regret over Saudi accusations, it agreed to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen.

As the power dynamics in Yemen continue to shift, reports indicate that Saudi-backed forces are beginning to reclaim control in Aden.