Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council chief calls for mass protests

DUBAI - Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidarous al-Zubaidi In his first public statement since disappearing from view, Zubaidi called for mass protests in the southern port city of Aden, breaking his silence for the first time since his disappearance more than a week ago.

According to reports from pro-separatist media, including the Aden Independent Channel, Zubaidi urged "the people of South Arabia to rally in the capital Aden on Friday." The message was conveyed through a TV channel statement, marking his reemergence following speculation about his whereabouts.

This comes after a turbulent period in early January 2026, when Zubaidi failed to board a flight to Riyadh for crisis talks aimed at resolving escalating tensions between the UAE-backed STC and Saudi-backed forces.

The Saudi-led coalition accused him of fleeing to an unknown destination - later alleging UAE assistance in spiriting him away to Abu Dhabi - while the STC insisted he remained in Aden overseeing operations.

Dramatic shifts unfolded in southern Yemen during Zubaidi's absence. Saudi-backed government forces swiftly retook key areas, including parts of Hadramout, the presidential palace in Aden, and military sites in al-Mahra, following an STC offensive in December 2025 that had exposed deep rifts between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Zubaidi was expelled from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council and accused of high treason by its chairman, Rashad al-Alimi.

Conflicting reports emerged about the STC's fate. A delegation in Riyadh announced the group's dissolution under alleged pressure, but the STC rejected this as coerced, with internal divisions surfacing publicly.

Thousands of supporters had already rallied in Aden earlier in January, waving South Yemen flags, holding posters of Zubaidi, and chanting slogans like "Southerner, raise your voice, independence or death." These demonstrations underscored persistent demands for southern independence a goal the STC has long championed, including a call for a two-year transition toward a referendum on a separate state.

Zubaidi's latest message reinforces those aspirations, explicitly calling on protesters to back the separatists' January declaration for an independent state and to demand the release of STC members reportedly held in Saudi Arabia.

The timing highlights the fragile and fractured state of Yemen's anti-Houthi coalition. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, once key partners in fighting the Iran-backed Houthis (who control much of northern Yemen), now find their rivalry playing out in the south. This has complicated efforts to stabilize the country amid its decade-long civil war and humanitarian crisis.

Zubaidi's exact location remains contested, with some sources suggesting he is in UAE-controlled territory - while the call for Friday protests risks further escalation in Aden, where authorities aligned with the Saudi-backed government have previously banned demonstrations citing security concerns.