2026-01-07T09:55:10+00:00
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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.
pic.twitter.com/RWKE6E0Ujl
— 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
