The Saudi-backed presidential council in Yemen has expelled the leader of a separatist group and charged him with treason after he failed to fly to Riyadh for talks. Six other members of the presidency accused Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), of undermining the independence of the republic. A Saudi-led military coalition reported that Zubaidi fled after not joining STC officials on a flight from Aden and subsequently moved a large force to al-Dahle province, prompting airstrikes which reportedly killed four people.
The STC dismissed the strikes as unjustified and claimed Zubaidi remained in Aden while expressing concerns about losing contact with their delegation in Riyadh. Recently, southern Yemen has been on the brink of renewed conflict, as factions vie against the Iran-backed Houthi movement and oppose each other, intensifying a divide between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
STC-aligned forces have been striving to establish an independent southern state, pushing out government loyalists. However, recent military activities have raised alarm, leading Saudi Arabia to assert that such actions jeopardize its national security and that of Yemen.
The coalition took pre-emptive strikes against Zubaidi's forces to prevent further escalation, accusing him of distributing weapons to incite unrest. Following these developments, Zubaidi was stripped of his membership in the presidential council and referred for prosecution on serious charges, including high treason.
The STC has expressed surprise at the coalition's actions, deeming them inconsistent with the dialogue climate, and highlighted their commitment to continue dialogues aimed at political resolution.
The STC dismissed the strikes as unjustified and claimed Zubaidi remained in Aden while expressing concerns about losing contact with their delegation in Riyadh. Recently, southern Yemen has been on the brink of renewed conflict, as factions vie against the Iran-backed Houthi movement and oppose each other, intensifying a divide between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
STC-aligned forces have been striving to establish an independent southern state, pushing out government loyalists. However, recent military activities have raised alarm, leading Saudi Arabia to assert that such actions jeopardize its national security and that of Yemen.
The coalition took pre-emptive strikes against Zubaidi's forces to prevent further escalation, accusing him of distributing weapons to incite unrest. Following these developments, Zubaidi was stripped of his membership in the presidential council and referred for prosecution on serious charges, including high treason.
The STC has expressed surprise at the coalition's actions, deeming them inconsistent with the dialogue climate, and highlighted their commitment to continue dialogues aimed at political resolution.
