Saudi-led coalition says STC’s al-Zubaidi fled to UAE via Somaliland

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 8, 2026 at 04:33 AM

AI Summary

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The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled to the United Arab Emirates via Somaliland on Wednesday after avoiding planned peace talks in Riyadh. According to the coalition, al-Zubaidi traveled by boat from Aden to Berbera, then boarded a plane with UAE officers that flew to Mogadishu before continuing to Abu Dhabi. The coalition noted the plane's identification systems were temporarily disabled over the Gulf of Oman. This event could exacerbate tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, especially after the STC's recent offensive against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The STC, which seeks an independent southern Yemen, seized provinces bordering Saudi Arabia, prompting a response from the Saudi-led coalition.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Gulf of Oman 30% Aden 40% Berbera 40% Houthi 40% Mogadishu ×240% Riyadh ×250% Somaliland ×260% United Arab Emirates ×470% Saudi Arabia ×370% Yemen ×680% Southern Transitional Council (STC) ×480% Aidarous al-Zubaidi ×490%

Keywords

southern transitional council (stc) 100% yemen 90% saudi-led coalition 90% united arab emirates 80% somaliland 70% secessionist leader 70% abu dhabi 60% political conflict 60% houthi rebels 50% peace talks 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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southern transitional council (stc)yemen saudi-led coalition united arab emirates somaliland secessionist leader abu dhabi political conflict houthi rebels peace talks

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