Saudi Arabia said Thursday that the United Arab Emirates smuggled a Yemen separatist leader wanted for treason out of the country and flew him to Abu Dhabi, with the UAE not immediately reacting to the accusation that further strains ties between the neighboring Gulf states.
In a military statement, Saudi authorities said Aidarous al-Zubaidi, described as the leader of the Southern Transitional Council, fled Yemen by boat to Somalia. The statement said he was then flown to Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital.
Saudi officials also described unusual details around what they said was the operation. The statement, issued by Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, named a major general in the UAE as being involved in al-Zubaidi’s purported escape, and it identified al-Zubaidi’s nom de guerre. Saudi Arabia also suggested that an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft used in the operation had previously been deployed in “conflict zones” including Ethiopia, Libya and Somalia—routes that the Emirati military has been accused of funneling weapons through in the past.
The UAE had not immediately responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press, and Somalia’s government moved to address what it said was the alleged impact on its sovereignty. In a statement, Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency said it was launching an investigation of “the alleged unauthorized use of Somalia’s national airspace and airport,” calling it unacceptable and a violation of sovereignty. The agency also said that any attempt by al-Zubaidi, with alleged external support, to evade Saudi Arabia’s call for dialogue is contradictory to the dialogue process and would breach bilateral agreements.
The Southern Transitional Council did not immediately acknowledge the allegation. The STC said Wednesday that al-Zubaidi remained in Aden, where forces allied against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have congregated since the rebels seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
The dispute comes as Saudi Arabia and the STC have clashed in recent days, with the UAE described as a major supporter of the council. Saudi and Emirati tensions have mounted alongside the STC’s moves in Yemen, including advances in two governorates and what appeared to be preparations to secede from the country.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, said on X that he met with an STC delegation that landed in Riyadh a day earlier. In his post, al-Jaber said they discussed al-Zubaidi’s recent actions, which he said “harmed the southern cause and didn’t serve it,” and they explored ways to work in the future to address what happened. He also said they addressed arrangements for a “Southern Cause Conference” expected to be held in Riyadh soon.
Mohamed al-Ghaithi, an STC member who is head of a negotiation and reconciliation committee supporting Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, described the Riyadh meeting as “fruitful” and said the delegation “rejected everything that harms unity.” Al-Ghaithi posted that the STC delegation heard commitments from Saudi officials directed at the southern cause, the coalition’s efforts for security and stability in Yemen, and a secure and stable future.
In related developments, Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, met Thursday with Presidential Leadership Council members in Riyadh to discuss developments in Yemen and broader implications, according to a statement released by the envoy’s office. Grundberg said an anticipated conference expected to be hosted by the kingdom offers a “timely opportunity to reduce tensions,” address long-standing grievances through political means, and move discussions toward stabilization.
The Yemen conflict, bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, has killed more than 150,000 people and created what the AP described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. The Houthis have also launched attacks against shipping tied to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, disrupting a vital route for global commerce. The U.S. has launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels under both Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday.
The Saudi statement landed amid a media push in Saudi outlets, including Al Arabiya airing what it described as intercepted telephone calls about al-Zubaidi’s alleged escape, and Arab News publishing a front-page image of al-Zubaidi under the headline “WANTED” alongside an editorial that described his refusal to go to the kingdom as cementing an image of him as a traitor.