A Saudi Arabia–led coalition has claimed that Aidarus al-Zubaidi, head of Yemen’s UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled instead of boarding a scheduled flight to Riyadh for peace talks, amid renewed airstrikes in the country’s south.
In a statement issued early Wednesday, the coalition said al-Zubaidi was due to travel from Aden to Riyadh on Tuesday night to attend negotiations but did not board the aircraft and instead escaped to an unknown location. The coalition alleged that he deployed a large force equipped with armoured vehicles as well as heavy and light weapons during his movements.
The coalition also said STC forces left Aden around midnight and moved toward Dhale province. To prevent what it described as an escalation, the coalition carried out “pre-emptive” airstrikes in Dhale at around 4:00 am local time.
The STC, however, rejected the claims, saying al-Zubaidi remains in Aden. In a statement, the separatist group called on Saudi Arabia to halt the airstrikes and said communication had been cut with its delegation currently in Riyadh. It added that al-Zubaidi is overseeing military and security operations from Aden.
According to Al Jazeera, Yemen’s internationally recognised government has taken further steps against the STC leader. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, announced the removal of al-Zubaidi from the council on charges of high treason and instructed the attorney general to initiate an investigation and legal proceedings.
The STC had previously aligned with the internationally recognised Yemeni government against the Houthi rebels but later launched a campaign demanding an independent southern state. The group went on to seize control of large parts of southern Yemen, including areas of Hadramout and al-Mahra, although government forces have since regained control of some provinces.
