Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Dismisses Separatist Leader al-Zubaidi Amid Rising Southern Tensions
Aden/Sanaa, Yemen – Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has dismissed Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the influential head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), accusing him of treason as political frictions and violence intensify in the country's south. The move, announced on January 7, 2026, marks a significant escalation in longstanding rivalries between the separatist group and the internationally recognized government, raising fears of further instability in a nation already fractured by over a decade of civil war.
Al-Zubaidi, a key figure in southern Yemen's separatist movement, has reportedly fled amid the accusations, according to reports from Middle East Eye. The PLC's decision comes as clashes between STC-aligned forces and government troops have surged in recent weeks, particularly around Aden, the provisional capital, and other southern provinces. This development underscores the fragile anti-Houthi alliance, complicating efforts to unify against the Iran-backed rebels who control the north, including the capital Sanaa.
Escalating Violence and Political Maneuvering
The dismissal of al-Zubaidi represents a bold step by the PLC, a body formed in 2022 to replace former President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and lead the government's war efforts. The council, which includes representatives from various anti-Houthi factions, accused al-Zubaidi of undermining national unity through actions deemed treasonous. Specific allegations include his role in recent skirmishes that have displaced civilians and disrupted aid deliveries in Aden and Abyan provinces.
Violence in southern Yemen has intensified since late 2025, with STC forces clashing with pro-government militias affiliated with the Islah party, a Sunni Islamist group with historical ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Eyewitness accounts describe street battles involving heavy weaponry, resulting in dozens of casualties among fighters and civilians alike. The STC, which administers much of the south under the banner of restoring pre-1990 South Yemen independence, has long viewed the PLC as dominated by northern interests.
Al-Zubaidi's ouster is not the first rift in this alliance. In 2019, STC forces seized Aden from government troops in a dramatic power grab, forcing a Saudi-brokered truce. More recently, the group has expanded its influence into Hadramaut and Shabwa, rich in oil and gas resources, prompting accusations from Riyadh and the PLC of resource plundering.
Background: Yemen's Fractured Alliances
Yemen's conflict traces back to 2014, when Houthi rebels overran Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition intervention in 2015 backed by the UAE. Initially aligned against the Houthis, the coalition fractured along ideological and regional lines. The UAE, prioritizing counterterrorism and control over southern ports like Aden and Socotra, shifted support toward the STC, while Saudi Arabia backed the PLC and more inclusive governance.
The STC, formed in 2017, draws legitimacy from southern resentment over northern domination following Yemen's 1990 unification. Led by al-Zubaidi since 2018, the council has governed effectively in some areas, providing security and services amid a humanitarian crisis that has left over 18 million Yemenis in need of aid, per United Nations estimates. However, its separatist agenda has strained relations with the PLC, leading to sporadic fighting despite repeated ceasefires.
The UAE's role remains pivotal. Abu Dhabi has invested heavily in southern infrastructure and trained STC militias, but has publicly distanced itself from separatism to align with Saudi peace initiatives. Recent Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have refocused international attention on Yemen, with the U.S. and UK conducting airstrikes since January 2024 to curb disruptions.
Regional and International Reactions
Saudi Arabia, leading truce negotiations since a 2022 nationwide ceasefire, has urged restraint to preserve the anti-Houthi front. Oman, a neutral mediator, has called for dialogue. The United Nations, through Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, expressed concern over the "deterioration of stability" in the south, warning it could undermine broader peace talks.
No immediate response from the STC or al-Zubaidi was available at press time, though separatist media outlets decried the PLC move as a "northern coup." UAE officials have not commented publicly.
Outlook: Risks to Fragile Truce
This episode threatens to unravel the uneasy southern equilibrium at a critical juncture. With Houthis escalating maritime attacks amid Israel's war in Gaza, unified action against them is essential. Analysts note that al-Zubaidi's dismissal could embolden hardliners on both sides, potentially drawing in external actors and exacerbating Yemen's humanitarian woes, where famine and cholera loom large.
The PLC's next steps—whether pursuing legal action against al-Zubaidi or negotiating his return—will test its authority. For southern Yemenis, caught between separatist ambitions and national imperatives, the coming days promise heightened uncertainty in a conflict that has claimed over 377,000 lives, according to UN figures.
As Riyadh pushes for a comprehensive settlement, the southern flare-up serves as a stark reminder of Yemen's layered divisions, where local power struggles often eclipse the national war.
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