Shelling, Arrests, and Trials: Saudi Arabia Launches a Broad Purge Campaign Against UAE Allies in Southern Yemen
An unprecedented escalation within the coalition camp throws the Saudi–Emirati conflict wide open across the southern governorates.
NYN | Reports and Analyses
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia began implementing what has been described as the largest political and security purge campaign targeting forces loyal to the United Arab Emirates in southern Yemen, a move that reflects a sharp escalation in disputes within the coalition camp.
Shelling of Al-Dhalea and the Start of Escalation
Local sources said the campaign was launched with an airstrike targeting Al-Dhalea Governorate, amid conflicting reports about the nature of the target. Some sources suggested that the strike was aimed at Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), or at his forces and weapons depots.
Official Measures and Expected Trials
In a notable development, the Riyadh-aligned Presidential Leadership Council approved the dismissal of Aidarous al-Zubaidi and his referral for investigation, paving the way for his trial, along with two ministers in Rashad al-Alimi’s government who belong to the Southern Transitional Council. This step was widely viewed as an official declaration of the start of an internal political purge.
Scapegoats and Selective Targeting
According to observers, the campaign appeared to involve the offering of “scapegoats” to appease Saudi Arabia, while sparing a number of Southern Transitional Council leaders who hastened to declare their loyalty to Riyadh, through direct mediation by Tareq Saleh.
Sources reported that among those who survived the purge were Presidential Leadership Council members Faraj al-Bahsani and Abu Zar’a al-Muharrami, in addition to other prominent STC figures.
Al-Zubaidi’s Fate: Ambiguity and Conflicting Accounts
The fate of Aidarous al-Zubaidi remains unknown so far, amid reports circulating in coalition-aligned media and among its supporters suggesting his disappearance or escape, while other sources point to the possibility that he was directly targeted during the airstrike.
An Open Conflict Within the Coalition
While the scope and trajectory of this campaign have yet to become clear, analysts believe that what is unfolding reflects deep fractures within the coalition and signals a new phase of Saudi–Emirati competition for influence in southern Yemen—one whose repercussions could prove more dangerous in the days ahead.
