Saudi-led coalition accuses UAE of helping separatist leader flee Yemen Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Thu, 01/08/2026 - 06:57 Coalition says Abu Dhabi orchestrated a covert sea-and-air evacuation of a leader charged with treason The head of separatist Southern Transitional Council, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, speaks at the STC national assembly in Mukalla on 16 February 2019 (Saleh al-Obeidi/AFP) Off The Saudi -led coalition has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of orchestrating a covert operation to extract Aidarous al-Zubaidi from Yemen after the separatist leader was charged with high treason, intensifying tensions between nominal allies in the war-torn country. In a statement on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s coalition spokesman, Major General Turki al-Maliki said intelligence showed that Zubaidi, head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), left Aden late on 7 January by sea before being flown to a military airport in Abu Dhabi. According to the coalition, Zubaidi and his entourage boarded a vessel named Bamedhaf shortly after midnight, departing the Port of Aden and switching off identification systems while sailing towards the Somali province of Somaliland. The ship later docked in Berbera around midday. The statement said Zubaidi then contacted Major General Awad Saeed bin Musleh Al-Hababi, described as the commander of joint operations in the UAE Armed Forces, to inform him of his arrival. Soon after, the group boarded an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft and departed without declaring a destination. The aircraft landed at Mogadishu International Airport at 15:15 local time, remained for about an hour, and then flew towards the Arabian Gulf. Saudi Arabia tracks UAE military movements Coalition officials said the plane again disabled its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman before reactivating them shortly before landing at Al Reef military airport in Abu Dhabi at 20:47 Saudi time. The coalition said the aircraft type is commonly used in conflict zones along routes linking Libya, Ethiopia and Somalia. It added that maritime records show Bamedhaf sails under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the same registry as another vessel previously accused of carrying combat vehicles and weapons from Fujairah to Mukalla, which Saudi Arabia bombed on 30 December after identifying the shipment as Emirati. Yemen's STC says delegation in Riyadh disappeared onto bus and all contact lost Read More » Coalition forces said they continue to track figures believed to have met Zubaidi before his escape, including former Aden governor Ahmed Hamid Lamlas and Security Belt Forces commander Mohsen al-Wali, with whom contact has reportedly been lost. Coalition spokesman Maliki said on Wednesday that Zubaidi ignored instructions on Sunday by coalition leaders to travel to Saudi Arabia within 48 hours for talks on escalating violence and attacks by STC forces in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra. The accusation came a day after Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, the country’s internationally recognised authority, charged Zubaidi with high treason, alleging he damaged Yemen’s political and military standing, formed an armed group, committed serious violations against civilians, killed officers and soldiers, and sabotaged military facilities. The Yemeni arena has been the source of a rare public falling out between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Last week, Saudi Arabia condemned the UAE's role in backing southern separatists in Yemen, and bombed an Emirati shipment which had arrived in the port city of Mukalla. The UAE said it was "surprised" by the Saudi strike, and said Riyadh's account contained "fundamental inaccuracies". But shortly after the strike, the UAE announced that it was to withdraw all its military personnel from Yemen "in light of recent developments". Inside Yemen News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0