Yemen’s separatist group appears to split after leader’s flight to UAE

The Southern Transitional Council (STC), the Yemeni separatist group that sought to carve out a separate nation in the country’s south, appeared on Friday to be headed for a split after a representative announced the group’s disbandment. The claim was quickly denied by a spokesperson.

The differing statements signalled deep divisions among the STC’s factions and uncertainty about its fate.

One member of an STC delegation that had arrived in Saudi Arabia for peace talks said in a statement that the group had decided to disband. However, a spokesperson who did not travel with the delegation and is close to STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi said no such decision had been taken, according to Reuters.

The spokesperson also implied that the representative’s statement could have been made under duress from Saudis.

The factionalism became public a day after al-Zubaidi fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following airstrikes and ground assaults by a Saudi-backed coalition in response to the STC’s offensive last month.

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Al-Zubaidi was expected to join the delegation in Riyadh for peace talks but he split from the group and disappeared. The Saudi-backed coalition said on Wednesday that he fled to Abu Dhabi with UAE assistance.

In Yemen’s complex internal conflicts, Saudi Arabia backs the internationally-recognised government while the UAE has supported the STC. Last month, the UAE-backed STC launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed government and seized large swathes of territory.

As its ally lost ground and the STC advanced close to the Saudi border, the coalition began airstrikes and ground assaults against the separatists. As per the latest information, the coalition has retaken most of the territory from the STC.

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The fighting has laid bare the rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Is the STC disbanding or splitting?

The status and fate of the STC remain unclear.

The statement announcing disbandment was broadcast on Saudi state media. But the central leadership said it had had no contact with the delegation, suggesting the group may have acted independently or under duress.

The spokesperson cited above, who did not travel to Riyadh and is close to al-Zubaidi, said any decision on the STC’s future could only be taken by the entire council, including its leader, according to Reuters.

The spokesperson added that any such decision would only be made once the delegation in Riyadh “is released”.

This suggested that the central leadership believed the delegation’s statement, aired on Saudi state media, was made under duress and the delegation could be held in Saudi Arabia against their will.

On its part, Saudi Arabia welcomed the announcement. Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman hailed it as “brave” and said a conference would be held in Saudi Arabia to discuss southern Yemeni issues where all groups would be invited, according to Reuters.