Saudi-led coalition: UAE-backed STC leader fled to unknown location
Shafaq News– Sanaa
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported on Wednesday that Aidarous Al-Zoubaidi, head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), missed a scheduled flight to Riyadh and left for an undisclosed location.
Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki stated that the aircraft departed after a delay exceeding three hours without Al-Zoubaidi aboard. Intelligence during the delay, he added, indicated orders to mobilize armed units and distribute weapons in Aden before his relocation.
— المتحدث الرسمي باسم قوات التحالف (@CJFCSpox) January 7, 2026
STC rejected the account, asserting that Al-Zoubaidi remains in Aden overseeing military, security, and civilian institutions to maintain order in southern provinces.
The council also reported difficulty contacting its delegation after arrival in Riyadh and criticized Saudi airstrikes in Al-Dhalea province, south-central Yemen, alleging civilian casualties. It framed the strikes as inconsistent with de-escalation efforts, urging Riyadh to halt air operations and restore communications.
بيان هام صادر عن المجلس الانتقالي الجنوبيhttps://t.co/p9SxlfdnTA pic.twitter.com/V0XHdzC6tD
— المجلس الانتقالي الجنوبي (@STCSouthArabia) January 7, 2026
The developments follow a late-2025 decision by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad Al-Alimi to revoke a joint defense agreement with the United Arab Emirates, ordering Emirati forces to withdraw from Yemen within 24 hours.
The agreement, formed under the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government against the Houthis (Ansarallah) movement, had allowed Emirati forces to operate in southern and eastern Yemen on counterterrorism, port security, and support missions in coordination with coalition partners.
Al-Alimi framed the move as necessary to protect civilians, safeguard national unity and sovereignty, and address security threats linked to the Houthis’ insurgency that began in 2014. He also directed the Saudi-backed Dera’ Al-Watan (Nation’s Shield) Forces to assume control of military camps in Hadramout and Al-Mahra.
Separately, Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of backing the STC’s moves and endangering Yemen’s stability, with the Saudi Foreign Ministry warning that Emirati pressure on STC units to operate near the kingdom’s southern border poses a direct “threat” to Saudi national security.
Riyadh described the developments as “inconsistent” with coalition principles, calling on Abu Dhabi to comply with the withdrawal demand and end assistance to armed groups outside state control. Southern grievances, it added, should be addressed through inclusive political dialogue involving all Yemeni parties, including the STC.
The UAE later announced the end of its remaining counterterrorism deployment in Yemen, citing recent developments and a reassessment of operational requirements. In a statement referencing a declaration by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Defense Ministry said Abu Dhabi joined the Arab Coalition in 2015 to “support [Yemen’s] legitimacy, contribute to international counterterrorism efforts, and help restore security and stability in the country.”
Read more: Middle East 2026: Ceasefires hold, power questions persist across a volatile region
