Aidarus al-Zoubaidi’s escape to Al-Dhale has angered the Saudis!
Last night, Saudi warplanes carried out airstrikes on Jabal Radfan in Lahij Province, the city of Al-Dhale, the Zand base, and areas around the village of Zubeid in Al-Dhale Province. The bombings resulted in casualties among Southern fighters and also civilians.
According to the Saudi-led coalition, the strikes came after the escape of Aidarus al-Zoubaidi — head of the Southern Transitional Council — from Aden, along with the movement of large numbers of STC forces toward Al-Dhalea with armored vehicles and military convoys. They claim al-Zoubaidi skipped his flight to Riyadh and avoided peace talks with the Yemeni government-in-exile, choosing instead to flee and prepare for renewed unrest.
In response, Rashad al-Alimi revoked al-Zoubaidi’s membership in the Presidential Leadership Council and referred him to the attorney general on charges of forming an armed group and acting against the government.
There’s little doubt al-Zoubaidi knew what awaited him in Riyadh — and that his fate would be no different from figures like Saad Hariri, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, and others who ended up under house arrest or worse. That’s why he chose to retreat to his hometown, hoping Southern tribal backing might preserve his power. Yet this bet also seems to be failing: Saudi aircraft are reportedly hunting for his whereabouts, and although he may try to flee to the UAE, current conditions in Aden make escape by air or sea nearly impossible.
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