Who is Aidarous al-Zubaidi? Yemen’s ‘traitor’ chief

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Mohammad MansourJanuary 7, 2026 at 10:58 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) and former strongman of southern Yemen, is facing "high treason" charges after a failed power play. In January 2026, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chairman removed al-Zubaidi from his post, accusing him of rebellion and forming armed gangs. Simultaneously, the Saudi-led coalition claimed al-Zubaidi fled to an unknown location after failing to appear in Riyadh, a claim the STC denies. Al-Zubaidi, a former air force officer, has a history of involvement in southern Yemen's separatist movements, including fighting in the 1994 civil war and leading an armed group after returning from exile. He re-emerged during the Arab Spring and became a key figure after the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Djibouti 30% Sanaa 30% Riyadh 40% Houthi 40% Ali Abdullah Saleh ×250% Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) 50% Saudi-led coalition 60% Rashad al-Alimi 60% Aden ×370% Southern Transitional Council (STC) ×280% Yemen ×490% Aidarous al-Zubaidi ×7100%

Keywords

aidarous al-zubaidi 100% yemen 90% southern transitional council 80% high treason 70% secessionist 70% aden 60% power play 60% saudi-led coalition 50% political crisis 50% civil war 40%