The Saudi-led Arab Coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen announced that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has fled to an unknown location, leaving senior council members without information about his whereabouts. The move comes ahead of his expected participation in a comprehensive conference scheduled to be held in Riyadh, bringing together various southern Yemeni factions.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the coalition said that al-Zubaidi fled after distributing weapons and ammunition to dozens of fighters in the southern city of Aden, under the leadership of Moamen al-Saqqaf and Mokhtar al-Noubi, with the aim of sparking unrest in the city in the coming hours.

According to the statement, cited by Al Arabiya.net, these developments occur at a critical time, as regional efforts—led by Saudi Arabia—seek to convene an inclusive southern dialogue conference aimed at de-escalating tensions and addressing the political crisis in southern Yemen.