Newsletters Events
Logo Logo
The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Search

Somalia says it is investigating Yemen separatist leader flight via Mogadishu

AL-Monitor
Jan 8, 2026
A billboard displays an image of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the leader of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), who, according to the Saudi-backed coalition, fled to an unknown destination, in Aden, Yemen January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman
A billboard displays an image of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the leader of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), who, according to the Saudi-backed coalition, fled to an unknown destination, in Aden, Yemen January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman — Fawaz Salman

MOGADISHU, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Somalia's immigration and citizenship agency said on Thursday that it had launched an investigation after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen accused the United Arab Emirates of spiriting a separatist leader out of the country via Mogadishu airport.

The Saudi-led coalition said that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of a UAE-backed southern separatist group, had left Yemen by boat for Somaliland, before boarding an aircraft to Mogadishu that was later tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi.

Somalia said it was investigating whether its airport had been used illegally.

(Reporting by Nairobi newsroom; Editing by Alex Richardson)