Who is Aidarous al-Zubaidi, Yemeni separatist facing treason charges, allegedly smuggled out of the country by UAE?

Zubaidi allegedly fled to UAE

Zubaidi, who led the STC, which seeks separation from Yemen and the re-establishment of an independent South Yemen, has been missing in action since Wednesday, when he failed to board a flight to Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh for peace talks.

The Saudi military, in a statement issued by Major General Turki al-Maliki, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen, alleged that Zubaidi was flown to Abu Dhabi in an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft by UAE officials. The Saudis also named a major general in the UAE as being involved in Zubaidi’s alleged escape.

The allegations came a day after Zubaidi was expelled from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), also known as Yemen’s internationally recognized government, where he served as the Vice President since 2022. He has also been accused of treason.

Who is Aidarous al-Zubaidi?

Zoubaidi, who began his career with the South Yemen military, following the unification of Yemen he was moved to the Interior Ministry.

During the Yemeni civil war of 1994, Zoubaidi sided with the breakaway Democratic Republic of Yemen and fought unsuccessfully alongside secessionists. In 1996, Zoubaidi founded the Hatham Movement, an insurgent group which called for self-determination of the south.

Though he was tried in absentia and sentenced to death for his role in the insurgency, Zoubaidi was pardoned by President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2000.

Zoubaidi, who transitioned into politics, reignited the secessionist movement in the late 2010s following the outbreak of Yemen’s civil war and aligned with the internationally recognized government then led by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

Southern Transitional Council

Between 2015 and 2017, Zoubaidi also served as the Governor of Aden, but was removed from office by President Hadi.

Zoubaidi then went on to establish the Southern Transitional Council, which, after a series of battlefield victories against the government forces in 2018, declared self-rule in southern Yemen.

The STC is backed by the UAE and has been increasing its pressure on the internationally recognised government, which has the backing of Saudi Arabia.