Saudi Arabia Accuses UAE of Smuggling Ally Out of Yemen

Saudi Arabia has publicly accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of smuggling a Yemeni separatist leader out of the country. The incident deepens a public rift between the two Gulf allies. The accusation concerns Aidarous al-Zubaidi. He leads the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a group that seeks an independent southern Yemen and is backed by the UAE. Saudi officials say al-Zubaidi was due to attend crisis talks in Riyadh on Wednesday. After he failed to appear, the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen stated he had fled the city of Aden for Abu Dhabi. They claim this escape happened under Emirati supervision. The public allegation marks a significant escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Both nations are key partners in the coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen's long-running war.