UAE Allegedly Aided in Smuggling Separatist Leader from Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has accused the United Arab Emirates of assisting in the smuggling of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, a prominent separatist leader, out of the country. This allegation comes after Zubaidi was expelled from Yemen’s presidential council and faced accusations of treason. According to a coalition spokesman, Zubaidi, who heads the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled Aden on the night of March 5, 2024, traveling by boat to Somaliland before being transported by cargo aircraft to Abu Dhabi.

The coalition claims that Zubaidi was supervised by UAE officers during this escape. There has been no immediate response from the UAE or the STC regarding these allegations. However, the STC asserted on March 6, 2024, that Zubaidi was still operating from Aden, contradicting the coalition’s statement that he had fled to an undisclosed location after failing to attend talks in Riyadh.

Tensions have escalated in southern Yemen, with the coalition accusing Zubaidi of repositioning STC forces from bases in Aden to his home province of al-Dahle. In retaliation, the coalition conducted air strikes on these forces, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of four individuals. The STC has labeled these strikes as “unjustified” and inconsistent with the calls for dialogue from Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia.

On March 7, 2024, coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki detailed that Zubaidi and his associates departed from Aden’s port aboard a passenger ship registered under St Kitts and Nevis. The vessel crossed the Gulf of Aden to Berbera in Somaliland, where they transferred to an Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft. Al-Malki stated that the group flew first to Mogadishu, Somalia, before heading towards the Arabian Sea without disclosing their final destination. He noted that the aircraft had disabled its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman, reactivating them only ten minutes before landing at Al-Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

The recent developments have pushed southern Yemen toward a potential new conflict, as factions continue to battle the Iran-backed Houthi movement in the ongoing civil war. The STC has gained control of much of southern Yemen in recent years, advocating for the region’s independence from the Yemeni government. Last week, Saudi Arabia warned that the STC’s advances near its borders posed threats to both its national security and the stability of Yemen.

Additionally, the coalition has accused the UAE of “pressuring” its separatist allies to make further advances into eastern Yemen. In a response to these tensions, Saudi Arabia has supported a demand from Yemen’s presidential council for the withdrawal of all Emirati forces from the region. Following these accusations, the coalition reportedly targeted a shipment of weapons and military vehicles for the STC that had allegedly arrived from the UAE. The UAE expressed “deep regret” over the accusations, denying the presence of any weapons but agreeing to withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen.

As a result of these shifting dynamics, forces loyal to the Yemeni government have retaken control of Hadramawt and al-Mahra with coalition air support. Witnesses and government officials reported on March 7 that Saudi-backed forces are now also gaining ground in Aden, further complicating the already volatile situation in the region.