UAE's Alleged Role in Smuggling Yemen's Separatist Leader Raises Tensions

Fri Jan 09 2026 15:54:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Saudi-led coalition accuses the UAE of facilitating Aidarous al-Zubaidi's escape from Yemen after he was expelled from the presidential council, exacerbating regional tensions.

In a tumultuous development, the Saudi-led coalition has claimed that the United Arab Emirates assisted separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi in fleeing Yemen. Accused of treason and expelled from the presidential council, Zubaidi's escape adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where tensions between factions and international players are escalating.

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, traveling by boat to Somaliland. He was reportedly flown by a cargo aircraft to Abu Dhabi via Mogadishu under the supervision of UAE officers.

However, there was no immediate comment from the UAE or the STC regarding these claims.

The STC insisted that Zubaidi was still operating from Aden on Wednesday, despite the coalition's claim that he had fled to an unknown location instead of attending scheduled talks in Riyadh.

Amid these developments, the coalition also accused Zubaidi of relocating STC forces from bases in Aden to his home province of al-Dahle, which prompted air strikes in response, reportedly resulting in four fatalities.

On Thursday, coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Malki provided what he described as 'reliable intelligence' which indicated that Zubaidi and his associates fled on board a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged passenger ship. This vessel supposedly crossed the Gulf of Aden to Berbera in Somaliland, where a cargo aircraft was waiting.

After boarding the aircraft with UAE supervision, Zubaidi and his associates were flown to Mogadishu before departing toward the Arabian Sea with their aircraft disabling its identification systems.

This incident comes at a time when southern Yemen is edging closer to renewed conflict, with factions opposing the Iran-backed Houthi movement deepening divides among Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The STC has gained control over significant portions of southern Yemen, advocating for its independence while Saudi Arabia expresses its national security concerns regarding advancements near its border.

As tensions mount, Saudi Arabia and the UAE appear to be on a collision course, with fierce accusations exchanged and the dynamics of the Yemen crisis continuing to evolve.