The head of the United Arab Emirates‑backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) of Yemen, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, has fled to an unknown location on Wednesday (7 January), skipping a scheduled flight to Riyadh for crisis talks, according to Saudi‑backed coalition officials.
A statement from Major General Turki al‑Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi‑backed coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said Zubaidi was due to travel to Riyadh but did not board the flight.
The plane instead departed after a more than three‑hour delay without him. There was no information on his whereabouts.
While other senior STC leaders left on the flight, Maliki said during the delay, that "information became available indicating that he had moved large forces," citing "calls for mobilisation and the movement and arming of factions with light and medium weapons".
STC officials' latest comment states that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, is in Aden overseeing military and security operations, contradicting reports from the Saudi-led coalition. It's also said that they have lost contact with their delegation in Riyadh, where talks were scheduled to address the southern crisis.
The situation dashes hopes for a quick resolution to the recent turmoil in Yemen's south that exposed a deep rift between the Gulf powers, fracturing a coalition to battle the Iran-aligned Houthis in a civil war more than a decade old. It's after fighting erupted between STC forces and the Saudi‑backed government last month triggering a deep feud between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Following Zubaidi’s disappearance, the Saudi‑backed presidential council stripped him of his membership and referred him to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason, state news agency SABA reported. He was accused of inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities and committing abuses against civilians.
Saudi forces say it also carried out limited pre‑emptive airstrikes in the southern province of al‑Dhalea, Zubaidi’s birthplace, on Wednesday, after monitoring movements of armed forces that had left their camps. According to domestic and STC sources, more than 15 strikes were made on the area.
The latest developments stems from the STC’s sudden seizure of swathes of territory in southern Yemen last month, including parts of Hadramout and Mahra.
Analysts say the STC’s territorial gains have contributed to a deterioration in relations between Saudi Arabia and its former coalition partner the UAE.
The UAE, which joined the Saudi‑led coalition in 2015 to support the internationally recognised government after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, subsequently withdrew its forces under pressure from Riyadh as tensions escalated.
The stalled Riyadh talks had been intended to bring together southern factions to address the issue, after Yemen’s government asked Saudi Arabia to host a forum on the southern crisis.
Zubaidi’s disappearance has left the status of those negotiations uncertain.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar wi...
An Iranian tanker was hit by U.S. forces on Saturday near Iran's key oil export hub, Kharg Island, in the Gulf...
Spanish authorities are preparing a new site in Ceuta to accommodate hundreds of migrants who remain on the str...
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4th of September, covering the latest developments.
A unique architectural monument dating back to the 9th to 12th centuries has been discovered in the village of Gargara, in the Korez village commune in Dangara district in Tajikistan.
Japan and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime have launched a $9.4 million, two-year project across five Afghan provinces to help former poppy-growing families and expand drug prevention and treatment services.
For centuries, Lahore has been shaped by the people, cultures and empires that passed through it. Now, the Pakistani city is preparing to put that rich history before a wider regional audience.
Israel is ready to move Palestinians from Gaza as soon as the U.S. approves, the country’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has said. He told a conference hosted by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday that there was “no real solution” for Gaza without migration.
Flights between Central Asia and Russia have faced widespread disruption, with aircraft diverted, turned back or cancelled amid restrictions in Russian airspace and conflicting claims from Moscow and Kyiv over aviation safety.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment