Yemen's separatists appear to split, reflecting Saudi-UAE rift

The group denies disbanding, says only full council with the leader can decide

Supporters of the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) hold a poster of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the STC's leader, who, according to the Saudi-backed coalition, fled to an unknown destination, in Aden, Yemen, Dec 25, 2025. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman/File Photo

Yemen's main separatist group appeared split on Friday as some members announced it was disbanding, reflecting a feud between Gulf powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that was blown into the open by a separatist advance last month.

Saudi-backed fighters have largely retaken areas in southern and eastern Yemen seized by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in December, and an STC delegation has travelled to the Saudi capital Riyadh for talks.

However, STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi fled Yemen on Wednesday instead of joining the talks, with the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen saying the UAE had helped spirit him away on a flight that was tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi.

One of the members who travelled to Riyadh for the talks said in a statement broadcast on Saudi state media on Friday that the group had decided to disband.

But the STC says it has had no communication with the delegation that initiated the talks under Saudi sponsorship.

A spokesperson who did not travel to Riyadh and is close to Zubaidi said any decision on the group's fate can only be taken by the entire council, including its leader.

Any such decision would only be taken once the delegation in Riyadh "is released", he said.

Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman welcomed the decision as a "brave" one. A conference would be held in Saudi Arabia to discuss southern Yemeni issues with all groups invited, he said.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have had sharp differences over issues from geopolitics to oil output. Their rivalry was exposed when the STC advanced to within reach of Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia, which Riyadh declared a threat to its national security.