UAE-Backed Mercenary Leader Flees to Unknown Location in Southern Yemen
Head of the Southern Transitional Council disappears amid Saudi coalition accusations, airstrikes, and treason charges
Yemen | PUREWILAYAH.COM — The Saudi-led coalition has announced that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the UAE-backed head of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC), has fled to an unknown location, abandoning senior figures of the separatist council amid escalating internal conflict in southern Yemen.
According to a statement by the Saudi-led coalition, al-Zubaidi escaped without prior notice, leaving other STC leaders behind on an aircraft that had been authorized to depart for Riyadh.
Saudi Coalition Accuses al-Zubaidi of Escalation Plot
A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said al-Zubaidi had mobilized large forces, including heavy and light weapons and ammunition, transferring them from the Hadid and al-Sulban camps toward Al-Dhalea Governorate.
The spokesperson added that coalition forces carried out preemptive airstrikes at dawn to thwart what they described as al-Zubaidi’s plan to expand armed confrontations into Al-Dhalea.
The coalition accused the STC leader of attempting to ignite wider clashes in southern Yemen, threatening already-fragile security conditions in areas controlled by rival Saudi- and Emirati-backed factions.
Al-Zubaidi Dismissed, Referred on Treason Charges
Following the announcement of his flight, Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, issued a decree dismissing al-Zubaidi from his post as head of the Southern Transitional Council.
According to Yemeni media, al-Alimi also ordered that al-Zubaidi be referred to the public prosecutor for investigation on charges including “high treason.”
The accusations reportedly include:
damaging Yemen’s political and military standing in the south,
forming an armed gang,
committing grave violations against civilians,
killing soldiers and officers, and
sabotaging military facilities.
Saudi Airstrikes Target UAE-Backed Sites in Southern Yemen
Meanwhile, Yemeni local sources reported new Saudi airstrikes in Al-Dhalea Governorate, targeting sites affiliated with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.
According to the sources, Saudi warplanes struck the al-Zand military facility, linked to the STC, in the Zubayd area of Al-Dhalea. Additional strikes reportedly targeted weapons and armored vehicles transferred from Aden, resulting in massive explosions that shook the city of Al-Dhalea.
News outlets reported dozens killed and wounded in the Saudi air assault on STC positions, underscoring the deepening rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi-backed factions fighting over control of southern Yemen. (PW)