Saudi coalition accuses UAE over Yemen move

Military forces were reported manning checkpoints in parts of Aden as the Saudi-led coalition accused the United Arab Emirates of facilitating the departure of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), in a development that could deepen rifts between the two Gulf allies.

The coalition said Zubaidi left Yemen via Somaliland and later boarded an aircraft to Mogadishu that was tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi, alleging UAE assistance in his exit. It did not confirm whether he remained on board en route to the UAE, and the UAE has not publicly responded to the claim. Saudi authorities framed the alleged move as a destabilising act that threatens national security and undermines unity among anti-Houthi forces.

Zubaidi, whose STC seeks independence for southern Yemen and controls much of Aden and its environs, failed to attend crisis talks in Riyadh convened amid a surge of unrest after separatists seized large parts of the south. The STC said he was directing military and security operations in Aden to prevent a vacuum following recent shifts in control. Witnesses reported Saudi-backed forces advancing toward Aden’s port after losing ground earlier, and leaders of the Saudi-supported internationally recognised government relocated to Saudi Arabia when the STC asserted control last month.

The dispute highlights widening strategic differences between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, despite their previous cooperation against the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen’s long-running civil war. Analysts note the two states have pursued divergent approaches: Riyadh has emphasised backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government, while Abu Dhabi has invested in local proxies and port-area influence, notably through support for the STC. Those competing priorities have periodically erupted into open friction and localised clashes among nominal allies.

The alleged extraction of Zubaidi comes against a backdrop of fragile de-escalation efforts, persistent frontline tensions with the Houthis, and severe humanitarian strains across Yemen. Diplomats and aid agencies warn that infighting among anti-Houthi factions risks derailing peace initiatives and exacerbating civilian suffering. Saudi officials warned that actions perceived to empower separatists could further fragment authority in the south and complicate prospects for a political settlement.