Saudi-backed forces on the outskirts of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt, in Yemen, on Jan. 3, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) said on Jan. 7 it had stripped separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi of his membership and referred him to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason after he failed to board a flight to attend Saudi-brokered talks in Riyadh, aimed at containing clashes between rival Yemeni factions.
The PLC also announced the dismissal of two cabinet ministers, Transport Minister Abdul Salam Hamid and Planning and International Cooperation Minister Waed Badhib, saying the measures were needed to stabilise the situation and protect state authority.
