Name: Yemens Saudi-led coalition says STC’s al-Zubaidi fled via Somaliland
Uploaded: 2026-01-08T12:16:33.122Z
Duration: 5 min
Description: The Saudi-backed coalition in Yemen says a southern separatist leader was smuggled through Somaliland and is now in the United Arab Emirates.

The Saudi-backed coalition in Yemen says a southern separatist leader was smuggled through Somaliland and is now in the United Arab Emirates.

Somaliland

Yemen's Saudi-led coalition has announced that Aidarous al-Zubaydi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), fled to the United Arab Emirates via Somaliland after missing scheduled talks in Riyadh. According to the coalition, al-Zubaydi traveled by ship to Berbera, Somaliland, before flying to Abu Dhabi under Emirati supervision, with his flight route involving stops in Mogadishu and the Gulf of Oman.

With al-Zubaydi's departure, Saudi authorities consider his leadership era over, and new STC leaders are engaging in negotiations in Riyadh. The coalition states that the option for southern secession is no longer being considered, with current talks focusing on a federal system for Yemen. The situation holds global significance due to the region's strategic energy and trade routes, and international actors are closely monitoring developments amid ongoing security concerns.

Yemen's Saudi-led coalition says STC’s al-Zubaidi fled via Somaliland

Yemen's Saudi-led coalition says a southern separatist leader has fled to the UAE via Somaliland. It comes a day after Eid al-Rus' al-Zubaydi did not show up for talks in Riyadh. Yemen's Saudi-led coalition has put out a statement about al-Zubaydi's whereabouts and alleged escape. It reads like this, in part, that al-Zubaydi was on a vessel that deported him to Aden towards the breakaway region of Somaliland after midnight on January the 7th. It says the ship shut off its identification system and arrived at the port of Berbera around noon. The statement then says a flight picked up al-Zubaydi and his companions without specifying its destination. That was done under the supervision of Emirati officers. The flight landed in Mogadishu and waited for an hour before it departed again. The plane then headed towards the Arabian Gulf and turned off its transponder over the Gulf of Oman. It was reactivated again shortly before landing in Abu Dhabi. So let's bring in our correspondent Hashim Ahelbar. Eid al-Rus' al-Zubaydi, you've been explaining this to us for the last few days, really is, I'm tempted to say was, I don't know, the face of the southern separatist movement. Is he out of the picture now that he's left Yemen? Definitely. He was backed by the United Arab Emirates, put into place in 2017 as the leader of the STC in a push to pave the way for putting together an independent southern state. This was why, this is why he was widely perceived to be the voice of the separatist movement. From a Saudi perspective today, he's a fugitive. He had a chance to fly to Riyadh to negotiate a settlement. From now onwards, from a Saudi perspective, his era is over. And this explains why some of his lieutenants are now in Riyadh, taking over as potential leaders, particularly Abu Zar'a al-Mahrami, who commands the giant faction, which is now in control of Aden. Explain what's going on in Riyadh, because it does seem that there is now a split within the STC. There are those who have fled their leader, Aidar al-Zabadi, and there is a part of the STC, the southern Yemeni separatists, who are in Saudi Arabia talking, negotiating with the Saudis. So before, a few days ago, Aidar al-Zabadi announced a constitutional, he made a constitutional announcement where he said that we are here, and then within a period of few years, we will set a new constitution and declare an independent state. Independent South Yemen. Exactly. That's no longer on the option. Now, the talk is about a federal system where with one authority, but north and south will have also the local governments like the federal system in the west. So the idea of secession is no longer on the table. However, the Saudis are now trying to reach out to different secessionists, separatist leaders, those who have control over troops and people on the ground in Hadhramaut al-Mahra, Dhala, Abyan, and Lahj, and see how they can move forward with the aim that ultimately you have to widen the specter of the discussion and convince the Houthis to join it to talk about what happens next in Yemen. If you go for unity, you have to remind your own people that the northern part of the country is still controlled by the Houthis, whom the Saudis accuse of being an Iranian proxy trying to destabilize the entire region and Saudi Arabia in particular. We're looking at the details of who controls what in Yemen and who's got momentum in Yemen and who's allied with who. But if we pull right back, I think it's important to remind our viewers this has global significance because everything that happens in that region happens in a major energy and trade region. It is a very important region because you have the Gulf of Aden and you have Bab al-Manda, both of which are very active, very important routes for oil crude. And you control them, you control passage of all the tankers to the Red Sea. This is number one. Al-Qaeda controls vast territory in the Sahel region, almost the size of Europe. It was inspired by Al-Qaeda, which existed in Yemen, the most aggressive offshoot of the global Al-Qaeda. So the concerns remain high, the stakes remain high. And I think the Americans are closely monitoring what is happening in southern Yemen because they fear an instability that could lead to more violence and anarchy. Hashem, thank you very much for joining us in the studio.

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader.

Washington

Venezuela Strikes

U.S. Senate advances measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Trump administration mulls paying Greenlanders to join U.S.

Iran’s connectivity drops sharply nationwide – As authorities tighten controls amid growing protests over the economy. NetBlocks says the apparent blackout follows ‘a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests’.

Tehran

Iran experiencing nationwide internet blackout as protests intensify

The Senate on Thursday voted to advance a resolution that could limit President Trump's ability to continue military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. It comes as the president told the New York Times that he could see the U.S. having direct oversight of Venezuela for years.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. could have direct oversight in Venezuela for years

The crew at the International Space Station will return home early because of what NASA is calling a medical concern with a crew member. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood has more details.

Texas

ISS crew returning due to medical issue for first time in NASA history

President Trump plans to meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro after Mr. Trump issued threats following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. CBS News' Lilia Luciano reports from Bogotá.

Trump to meet Colombia’s Petro after tensions over Venezuela operation

The United Kingdom aided the U.S. in an operation to seize a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

UK helped the U.S. seize an oil tanker linked to Venezuela

U.S. forces on Wednesday seized two oil tankers, one in the North Atlantic and the other in the Caribbean, as part of the Trump administration's blockade of Venezuela's oil exports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will take between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil and sell it in the marketplace.

U.S. to control money from Venezuela oil sales after tanker seizures

Nick Reiner was set to be arraigned on murder charges on Wednesday in the killing of his parents Rob and Michele Reiner. But his defense attorney, Alan Jackson, told the judge he could no longer represent the 32-year-old. After the hearing, Jackson said he couldn't say why he withdrew for legal reasons, but added, "Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder."

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner's lawyer withdraws from case, says Reiner 'is not guilty'

NASA is considering a rare early return of its crew from the International Space Station over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts, after canceling a planned spacewalk that had been scheduled for Thursday (January 8), the agency said.

NASA mulls early ISS crew return due to astronaut medical issue

Washington says it has intercepted two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic as part of President Trump’s hardline effort to control oil movements across the Americas, claiming the vessels were part of a so-called shadow fleet used to ship sanctioned crude from Venezuela and Iran.

UK helped U.S. military to seize sentenced oil tanker on way to Russia

Minneapolis erupts in protests after a woman is shot by a federal agent – Video of the incident sparks outrage nationwide.

Minneapolis

ICE shoots woman: Incident sparks protests across the U.S.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged security forces to show restraint, distinguishing peaceful protesters from armed rioters. However, rights group Iran Human Rights says at least 27 protesters have been killed, while Iranian media report 15 deaths, including members of the security forces.

Iran police officer killed as cost-of-living protests enter 12th day

The decision comes as Trump approaches the first anniversary of his second term. Since returning to office, he has already moved to exit the World Health Organization, the Paris climate agreement, and UNESCO, while cutting funding to several UN bodies.

Trump orders U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organisations

Iran's army chief threatened pre-emptive military action on Wednesday over the "rhetoric" targeting the country, thought to be in reference to threats made by US President Donald Trump last week, warning that if Tehran "violently kills peaceful protesters," Washington would "come to their rescue."

Iran army chief threatens pre-emptive attack after Trump threats

U.S. forces have boarded a Venezuela-linked sanctioned oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it for weeks. The U.S. military also announced the seizure of a sanctioned tanker ship in the Caribbean Sea, the second vessel taken by American forces on Wednesday.

U.S. seizes two more sanctioned oil tankers with links to Venezuela

A woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security says. CBS News' Nicole Sganga reports from the scene.

Protesters gather after ICE shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis

The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday (Jan. 7), after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" of Venezuelan oil exports.

U.S. seizes Venezuela-linked oil tanker after weeks-long pursuit

Nick Reiner, the son of Rob and Michele Reiner, is set to be arraigned in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. It comes as details emerge about his time in custody and how his mental health history could play a role in his case.

Nick Reiner due in court on murder charges

Flights across France and Belgium and Eurostar train services have been severely disrupted by the winter weather.

Paris

Eurostar trains and hundreds of flights cancelled amid heavy snowfall

President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday urged security forces to distinguish between what he called rioters and protesters, urging them not to target peaceful demonstrators.

Iran's President urges security forces not to target protesters

In Iran, protests that broke out on December 28th over the soaring cost of living look set to continue. Security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in Tehran's Grand Bazaar on January 6: without giving numbers, Iran's IRNA news agency said 'some' people were arrested.

Death toll rises as Iran's security forces clash with protesters

Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are reacting to the Trump administration's comments on a potential Greenland takeover from Denmark.

Nuuk

European leaders blast Trump over Greenland takeover discussions

Donald Trump says Venezuela will hand over as much as 50 million barrels of oil and he will control the profits.

Trump says Venezuela will turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil

Britain and France have said they could send troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire is agreed. The pledge came at a Paris meeting of 30 nations, including the US, on security guarantees demanded by Kyiv before any peace deal.

London

Ukraine Invasion

UK, France ready to deploy troops in Ukraine after ceasefire

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” in the face of threats issued by US President Donald Trump.

Bogotá

Colombia vows to defend its sovereignty amid Trump’s military threats

Israeli forces storm Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank soon after students begin a sit-in in solidarity with jailed Palestinians.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli school assault wounds dozens of Palestinians in West Bank raid

The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump and his team are considering a range of options in efforts to acquire Greenland as the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro continues to reverberate in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a national security priority

The United States for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again.

U.S. backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv's allies

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep concern over recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Breakdown