The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has alleged that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) assisted separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi in escaping Yemen after he was ousted from the presidential council and accused of treason.
According to the coalition spokesman, Zubaidi fled from Aden on a boat to Somaliland on Tuesday night. He was subsequently transported to Abu Dhabi via a cargo aircraft following a short stop in Mogadishu, under the supervision of UAE officers.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC), led by Zubaidi, insisted that he was still active in Aden, contradicting coalition claims that he had fled.
The coalition has also alleged Zubaidi moved STC forces from their bases to his home province of al-Dahle, leading to airstrikes against these forces. Four deaths were reported from the coalition's strikes, which the STC condemned as unjust.
Coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Malki stated that Zubaidi and his associates left on a passenger ship registered in St Kitts and Nevis, headed towards Somaliland, where a cargo aircraft awaited them. This aircraft allegedly disabled identification systems over the Gulf of Oman, only reactivating them shortly before landing in Abu Dhabi.
The situation in southern Yemen has been increasingly tense, with STC-aligned forces pushing for independence and Saudi Arabia warning that these advances threaten its national security. The conflict showcases the deeper rift and competing interests between Saudi Arabia and the UAE amidst Yemen's long-lasting civil war.
