Saudi Accuses UAE of Smuggling Yemeni Separatist Leader to Abu Dhabi

The Saudi military released a statement on Jan. 8 accusing the United Arab Emirates of orchestrating the clandestine removal of Aidarous al‑Zubaidi, the president of the UAE‑backed Southern Transitional Council and a recent member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The statement, attributed to Maj. Gen. Turki al‑Malki, said al‑Zubaidi fled Aden by boat in the dead of night, sailed to Berbera in Somaliland, and was flown on an Ilyushin Il‑76 aircraft to Mogadishu under the supervision of UAE officers before being taken to a military airport in Abu Dhabi.

The allegation followed the Presidential Leadership Council’s dismissal of al‑Zubaidi, which it announced the day before the Saudi statement. The council charged him with high treason, inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities and committing abuses against civilians. He had been scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia with other council officials for crisis talks but did not appear.

Saudi state media ran a coordinated campaign accompanying the military statement. A Saudi broadcaster aired what it described as intercepted telephone calls linked to the alleged escape, and a Saudi newspaper published a front‑page “WANTED” image while denouncing al‑Zubaidi as a traitor who pursued southern secession. The military statement also named an Emirati officer, including a rank, a disclosure that diplomats said is highly unusual for Gulf relations and suggests a deliberate intensification of the public dispute.

The Saudi account alleged the Il‑76 used in the transfers has previously operated in conflict zones such as Ethiopia, Libya and Somalia, a claim framed by Riyadh as evidence of UAE military logistics in contested theaters. Those operational details and the presence of Emirati personnel in the transfers have not been independently verified. Saudi officials did not present flight manifests or third‑party confirmation of al‑Zubaidi’s arrival in Abu Dhabi, and independent confirmation of his whereabouts was not available at the time of publication.

UAE officials had not issued an immediate response to the specific smuggling allegation. The Southern Transitional Council also did not directly confirm the Saudi account and in earlier statements maintained that al‑Zubaidi had remained in Aden, reflecting a clear contradiction over the basic facts.

The accusations mark a significant escalation in tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, long partners in the Yemen war whose relationship has been recalibrating in recent months amid competing strategic priorities. For Saudi Arabia, the prospect of an allied separatist leader operating with Emirati protection touches on questions of sovereignty, regional influence and the integrity of the fragile Presidential Leadership Council. For the UAE, the episode threatens diplomatic embarrassment and could complicate its ties with partners in the Horn of Africa.

Beyond bilateral consequences, the dispute carries implications for the broader conflict in Yemen. The STC’s push for southern autonomy and the leadership crisis inside the council have already prompted Saudi strikes against separatist positions and raised fears of further fragmentation of anti‑Houthi efforts. International legal and diplomatic actors have called for transparent investigation and independent verification of the transfer claims to clarify responsibilities and avert wider regional fallout.