Yemen's Tense Power Struggle: UAE and Saudi Arabia Clash Over Separatist Leader

In a recent turn of events, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has accused the United Arab Emirates of assisting a separatist leader in escaping the country. The leader in question, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, is the head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the UAE. The coalition claims that Zubaidi fled Aden on Tuesday night, heading to Somaliland by boat and then being flown to Abu Dhabi via Mogadishu, all under the supervision of UAE officers. The STC, however, maintains that Zubaidi was still operating from Aden on Wednesday, contradicting the coalition's statement that he had fled to an unknown location. The coalition also accused Zubaidi of relocating STC forces from Aden to his home province of al-Dahle, leading to air strikes on these forces. The STC deemed these strikes unjustified and inconsistent with calls for dialogue with Yemen's internationally recognized government. This incident highlights the deepening rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who have been allies in the war against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement. The infighting between the factions they support has pushed southern Yemen to the brink of a new conflict. The coalition spokesman, Maj Gen Turki al-Malki, stated that they had reliable intelligence showing Zubaidi and his associates fled from Aden's port on a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged passenger ship, heading to Somaliland where a cargo aircraft was waiting.The aircraft, under the supervision of UAE officers, flew first to Mogadishu and then towards the Arabian Sea without a declared destination. It disabled its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman, reactivating them only 10 minutes prior to landing at Al-Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi. Somalia's immigration agency is now investigating an alleged unauthorized use of its airspace and airports. The STC-aligned forces have gained control of much of southern Yemen, aiming for independence. However, Saudi Arabia has warned that these advances near its borders pose threats to its national security and Yemen's stability. The Saudi-led coalition, formed in 2015 by Arab states including the UAE, struck what it said was a shipment of weapons and military vehicles for the STC arriving from the UAE. The UAE expressed deep regret at the Saudi accusations and denied the presence of any weapons, but agreed to pull its remaining forces out of the country. Since then, forces loyal to the government have retaken control of Hadramawt and al-Mahra with the help of coalition air strikes. Witnesses and government officials report that Aden is also now coming under the control of Saudi-backed forces.