Saudi-led coalition claims Yemen’s STC chief al-Zubaidi escaped Yemen via North Western State of Somalia to UAE

Saudi-led coalition says STC chief al-Zubaidi fled Yemen via North Western State of Somalia to UAE, skipping Riyadh talks

ADEN, Yemen — The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said the head of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, slipped out of the country overnight after skipping planned peace talks in Riyadh, traveling by sea to North Western State of Somalia before flying on to the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement, the coalition said al-Zubaidi abruptly disappeared ahead of the talks and left late at night from the southern port city of Aden. According to the coalition, he arrived by sea in Berbera, North Western State of Somalia, then boarded a plane with Emirati officers to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, before continuing to Abu Dhabi. The coalition alleged the aircraft temporarily switched off its identification systems during the journey. The claims could not be independently verified.

If confirmed, the episode would mark a sharp escalation in frictions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the direction of the war and peace process in Yemen. The rift has become more visible since late last year, as the UAE-backed STC clashed with forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is supported by Riyadh.

The STC, which initially fought alongside the government against the Houthi movement in northern Yemen, has increasingly advanced a separatist agenda for the south. Its earlier takeover of Hadramout and Mahra — provinces bordering Saudi Arabia — triggered serious security concerns in Riyadh, which publicly described the move as a red line.

Saudi-led forces responded in late December with airstrikes on the port of Mukalla, saying they targeted a weapons shipment linked to the UAE. Abu Dhabi denied the claim, insisting the shipment did not contain arms, and reiterated its commitment to Saudi security. The UAE the same day announced the end of what it called its “counterterrorism mission” in Yemen.

Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi air power, subsequently regained control of Hadramout and Mahra. The STC later signaled it would take part in Saudi-hosted talks to de-escalate tensions. However, the coalition said al-Zubaidi was not among the STC delegation that flew to Riyadh aboard a Yemenia Airways flight.

The coalition’s account of al-Zubaidi’s route — from Aden to Berbera, with onward travel via Mogadishu to Abu Dhabi — underscores the increasingly tangled logistics and alliances shaping Yemen’s conflict. Any confirmed absence of the STC’s top leader from negotiations would complicate efforts by regional and international mediators to reassemble the parties at the table and stabilize the country’s fractious south.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been the most influential external actors in Yemen’s war, often aligned militarily against the Houthis but diverging over political endgames and local partners. The fate and positioning of the STC — a key UAE-backed faction — remain central to any durable settlement, particularly as competing security interests converge in southern provinces and strategic coastal ports.

As of Wednesday, there was no immediate clarity on next steps for the Riyadh talks or whether a separate channel would be pursued to bring the STC leadership into the process. The coalition framed al-Zubaidi’s alleged departure as a setback to planned discussions but did not announce new measures in response.

Any escalation between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over Yemen risks further destabilizing the south and undermining the broader goal of a negotiated political roadmap. For now, the coalition’s allegation deepens uncertainty about the STC’s intentions and the fragile pace of diplomacy.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.