A delegation of the Southern Transitional Council of Yemen traveling to Riyadh for negotiations has gone missing, with no contact possible for several hours. The Southern Transitional Council confirmed the incident, raising concerns over the delegation’s safety and demanding immediate information from the Government of Saudi Arabia.
Senior Southern Transitional Council official and Head of Foreign Affairs Omar Al-Baidh stated that over fifty delegates arrived in Riyadh at 3 am local time but were then taken onto a bus and moved to an unknown location. Family members also reported they could not reach their relatives, while attempts to contact the delegates on some mobile numbers went unanswered.
Delegation Faces Uncertainty Amid Conflicting Claims
Reports surfaced on social media claiming that senior Southern Transitional Council leader Mohammed Al-Ghaithi posted a message stating the delegation had arrived safely in a “positive environment” and would begin meetings. Omar Al-Baidh refuted these claims, saying the ground reality contradicts the social media post.
The Southern Transitional Council of Yemen later issued an official statement confirming that more than fifty delegates were detained arbitrarily by the Government of Saudi Arabia and transferred to an unknown location. The council held the Government of Saudi Arabia responsible for their immediate release and safety.
Meanwhile, Southern Transitional Council leader Aidrous Al-Zoubaidi, originally part of the delegation, canceled his trip at the last minute. Contrary to rumors that he went into hiding in Al-Dhalea’s mountains, Omar Al-Baidh confirmed that Aidrous Al-Zoubaidi is currently in Aden.
Background: Rising Tensions in Southern Yemen
The Southern Transitional Council of Yemen advocates for an independent southern Yemeni state modeled after the former 1967–1990 Republic of South Yemen. The group has long received political, financial, and military support from the United Arab Emirates, but recent events revealed differences between the Government of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates regarding Yemen.
On the same day, Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council stripped Aidrous Al-Zoubaidi and other separatist members of their positions, accusing them of “serious treason,” forming armed groups, and harming political and military infrastructure.
Reports indicate Saudi-backed forces advanced toward Aden, while at least fifteen airstrikes targeted Al-Dhalea, the home province of Aidrous Al-Zoubaidi. Two civilians were killed and fourteen injured. The Government of Saudi Arabia called the strikes “pre-emptive defensive actions” aimed at preventing escalation.
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