ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Wednesday accused Saudi Arabia of "arbitrarily detaining a senior delegation" sent to Riyadh for political consultations, amid a sharp escalation in southern Yemen's volatile military and political situation.
Anwar Al-Tamimi, spokesman of the Aden-based STC, told Xinhua that more than 50 STC officials and "southern political figures were detained upon arrival in Riyadh and transferred to an undisclosed location."
He called for their immediate release, holding Saudi Arabia fully responsible for their safety. Al-Tamimi said that "all communication with the detained individuals had been cut off, with their mobile phones switched off and their whereabouts remaining unknown."
The accusations came shortly after the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which is based in Riyadh, issued a decision revoking the membership of STC chief Aidarous Al-Zubaidi in the council on charges of "high treason," referring the case to Yemen's attorney general for prosecution.
An STC official, speaking anonymously to Xinhua, said Al-Zubaidi had initially planned to travel from Aden to Saudi Arabia to attend talks among Yemeni political forces facilitated by Riyadh to address the southern issue. However, he later declined to travel personally, opting instead to dispatch a delegation while leaving for an undisclosed location.
Following his absence from the scheduled talks, Saudi warplanes carried out airstrikes on Al-Zubaidi's hometown in Al-Dhalea province.
At least six people were killed early Wednesday in the airstrikes. An official from the province's health department, speaking on condition of anonymity, said nearly 10 other civilians were wounded and transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment.
According to Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition, Al-Zubaidi was "required" to travel to Saudi Arabia to hold talks with Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's PLC, and the coalition forces command on the recent escalation of the situation.
In response to the airstrikes, the STC said in a statement issued later Wednesday that it was "surprised" by the Saudi military action, describing the strikes as a "regrettable escalation" that contradicted the prevailing atmosphere of dialogue.
By Wednesday evening, neither Yemen's internationally-recognized government nor the Saudi-led coalition had publicly confirmed Al-Zubaidi's location. Local residents reported that coalition warplanes continued to hover over villages in Al-Dhalea province. Meanwhile, an STC statement said Al-Zubaidi remained in Aden, where he continued to oversee military, security and civilian institutions.
On the ground in Aden, security units aligned with the STC reportedly withdrew or disappeared from key positions, allowing forces loyal to the PLC to seize control of major state institutions.
A local government official told Xinhua that units from the pro-government Giants Brigades had moved to secure Aden International Airport, the Central Bank headquarters, the Maashiq presidential palace and other government facilities.
There was no immediate comment from Yemen's internationally-recognized government or the PLC regarding the takeover. Pro-government forces later imposed a curfew across Aden from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. local time, citing security concerns.
Residents in Aden reported widespread panic, with people rushing to purchase food, fuel and other essential commodities amid fears that fighting could erupt or airstrikes could target the city.
Military tensions and simultaneous movements by rival armed factions in southern Yemen have intensified over recent hours, raising concerns of a broader confrontation.
Formed in 2017 and allegedly backed by the United Arab Emirates, the STC seeks self-determination and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling PLC in 2022, the group continues to push for southern sovereignty, leading to recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources. ■
