Thursday, January 8, 2026- The leader of Yemen’s southern separatist movement, Aidarous al‑Zubaidi, has refused to attend urgent crisis talks in Riyadh, further deepening an escalating clash between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the future of Yemen.
Al‑Zubaidi, head of the UAE‑backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), failed to board a scheduled flight to the Saudi capital for negotiations aimed at ending a surge in fighting after his forces seized territory in southern Yemen. His unexplained absence has cast doubt on the peace effort and underscored deepening tensions within the coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Saudi officials have responded sharply to Zubaidi’s refusal to attend the talks, stripping him of his position on Yemen’s presidential council and accusing him of high treason and inciting rebellion.
The Saudi‑backed coalition has also launched airstrikes against STC positions and the southern province of al‑Dhalea, which is linked to Zubaidi’s forces, in a bid to counter what Riyadh views as a destabilizing separatist push. Meanwhile, the STC insists Zubaidi remains in Aden to oversee security and military operations, even as communication with parts of its delegation in Riyadh becomes uncertain.
The crisis has laid bare a growing rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE—both key Gulf powers and former allies in the fight against Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels. Riyadh views the STC’s recent military gains and refusal to negotiate as a threat to its security and pivot toward a unified Yemen, while Abu Dhabi’s support for southern separatists reflects competing regional agendas.
Analysts warn that the breakdown in talks and intra‑coalition conflict could fuel renewed violence around Aden and further complicate efforts to resolve Yemen’s long‑running civil war.
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