Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council has expelled a senior separatist figure and accused him of treason after he failed to attend scheduled talks in Riyadh, escalating tensions in the country’s already fragile political landscape.
Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), was accused by six fellow council members of threatening Yemen’s sovereignty. The move followed his absence from a planned flight from Aden to Saudi Arabia for dialogue with the internationally recognised government.
A Saudi-led military coalition claimed Zubaidi had fled Aden and redeployed large numbers of fighters and heavy weaponry towards the southern province of al-Dhale. Coalition aircraft later carried out air strikes on the advancing forces, saying the action was intended to prevent a further escalation.
The STC rejected the accusations, saying Zubaidi remained in Aden and describing the air strikes as unjustified. Local sources reported that the strikes killed at least four people. The group also said it had lost contact with its delegation that travelled to Riyadh for talks.
The developments come amid growing instability in southern Yemen, where rival factions nominally aligned against the Iran-backed Houthi movement have increasingly turned on one another. The tensions have also widened a rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both key players in Yemen’s decade-long conflict.
In recent years, STC-aligned forces have taken control of much of southern Yemen, seeking to restore the region’s former status as an independent state. In December, the group launched operations to seize the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and al-Mahra, arguing the moves were necessary to restore security and counter extremist groups.
Saudi Arabia, however, warned that the advances near its border posed a threat to regional stability and accused the UAE of encouraging the separatists. Riyadh later voiced support for demands that Emirati forces withdraw from Yemen, a move the UAE agreed to after denying it had supplied weapons to the STC.
Government-aligned forces have since regained much of the contested territory with the help of coalition air support.
According to the coalition, Zubaidi failed to board the Riyadh-bound flight on Tuesday night, prompting intelligence concerns that he was preparing a military escalation. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki said pre-emptive strikes were launched to disrupt the movement of armed units and prevent unrest from spreading.
The Presidential Leadership Council later issued a decree removing Zubaidi from office and referring him to prosecutors on charges including high treason, forming armed groups, and ordering attacks against state forces.
The STC said it remained committed to dialogue and confirmed that a delegation led by its secretary-general had travelled to Riyadh. It insisted Zubaidi continued to carry out his duties from Aden and accused the coalition of undermining peace efforts through military action.
The group also raised concerns over the lack of official information regarding its delegation in Riyadh, calling for urgent clarification.
The episode underscores the deepening divisions among anti-Houthi forces and highlights the uncertainty surrounding Yemen’s political future as internal rivalries threaten to ignite a new front in the conflict.
