The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has alleged the United Arab Emirates helped smuggle a separatist leader out of the country after he was expelled from Yemen's presidential council and accused of treason.
A coalition spokesman stated that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled Aden on Tuesday night by boat to Somaliland. He was then flown by cargo aircraft to Abu Dhabi via Mogadishu under the supervision of UAE officers.
There was no immediate comment from the UAE or STC.
The STC asserted that Zubaidi was still operating out of Aden on Wednesday, despite the coalition's claims that he had left for an unknown location.
The coalition accused Zubaidi of relocating STC forces from Aden to his home province of al-Dahle, prompting air strikes on those positions, which reportedly killed four people. They emphasized that these actions were "unjustified" and counterproductive to calls for dialogue with Yemen's internationally recognized government.
Maj Gen Turki al-Malki of the coalition indicated they had "reliable intelligence" confirming Zubaidi's escape from Aden's port and subsequent movements across the Gulf of Aden to Berbera, where an Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft awaited him.
This aircraft disabled its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman, reactivating them only moments before landing in Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in Southern Yemen is deepening, with local factions closer to conflict against the backdrop of the international struggle between Iranian influence and Saudi aspirations. The STC has sought to establish an independent southern state while facing criticism from the Saudi-led coalition.
Saudi Arabia warned that recent STC advances near its border pose threats to its security and called for UAE forces to withdraw from Yemen. In response to the coalition's accusations, the UAE denied providing weapons to the STC but expressed regret and agreed to withdraw their forces.
