Yemen separatist leader set to make last stand after rejecting Saudi ultimatum

The leader of Yemen’s routed southern separatist movement has decided to make a defiant last stand, his supporters say, rejecting a Saudi ultimatum to travel to Riyadh for talks.

- Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor

Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has been gathering his remaining troops in Aden as rival Saudi-backed forces seek to take control of the city.

His supporters said his mood was to fight on, although he knew there would likely be an attempt to kill him.

The UN-recognised government of national unity, which supports the retention of a unified Yemen, has accused him of high treason for unilaterally raising the flag of independence for southern Yemen.

A former military leader turned politician, he was sacked from the government’s presidential leadership council as a result.

Al-Zubaidi’s refusal to travel to Riyadh on Tuesday night, defying a demand from the Saudi defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, prompted Saudi Arabia to launch airstrikes on his remaining military camps in his stronghold in the Zubaid area of Dhale region.

One of al-Zubaidi’s advisers, Amr al-Bidh, told a briefing: “Al-Zubaidi is on the ground in Aden conducting his duties,” adding that there would be chaos if Saudi-backed forces tried to capture the city, as had been threatened.

Al-Bidh said: “Al-Zubaidi was told: ‘Either you come to Riyadh or we bomb you, and that is your last chance? That does not create a conducive atmosphere for dialogue.”

He said al-Zubaidi’s village was being bombed by the Saudis and two civilians had been killed.

There were also concerns that if al-Zubaidi travelled to Riyadh he would be arrested.