Yemen prosecutor investigating STC's Al-Zubaidi for 'treason' as separatist rally held in Aden

Yemen’s prosecutor general issued a decree on Thursday forming a committee to investigate the head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidarus al-Zubaidi, according to Yemen's SABA news agency.

The committee will investigate several allegations against al-Zubaidi, including "high treason with the intent to undermine the independence of the republic", "forming an armed gang", "committing murders against officers and soldiers of the Yemeni armed forces", and "exploiting and harming the South Yemen cause through serious violations against civilians", according to the agency.

Al-Zubaidi fled to the UAE on 7 January after being accused of treason by Rashad al-Alimi, the president of the internationally-recognised Presidential Leadership Council’s (PLC) executive board. Al-Alimi revoked Zubaidi's PLC membership and ordered an investigation into him.

Al-Zubaidi is thought to have remained in the UAE since.

The separatist leader will also be investigated for "sabotaging military installations and sites, attacking the constitution and constitutional authorities, violating the constitution and laws, and undermining the sovereignty and independence of the country", as per the Yemeni news agency.

Al-Zubaidi had fled Aden earlier this month to the UAE, following a number of developments in southern Yemen. Al-Zubaidi failed to attend peace talks in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, held after government forces recaptured positions seized by STC forces in eastern Yemen at the beginning of December.

Al-Zubaidi fled to the oil-rich country via sea and air to Abu Dhabi, through Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.

In December, Al-Zubaidi led the STC separatists in making serious advances in southern Yemen amid an offensive codenamed Operation Promising Future, with the aim of re-establishing the former state of South Yemen, which existed between 1967 and 1990.

This triggered a geopolitical rift between Gulf hevyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who back opposing factions within the internationally-recognised government of Yemen. 

Saudi-backed forces went on to repel STC advances before retaking control of southern Yemen this week, which were previously captured by the separatists earlier.

Following this, the future and status of the STC remains uncertain after the exile of Al-Zubaidi and conflicting reports about the group's apparent dissolution, which officials from the group said was done under duress. 

Meanwhile, Riyadh is set to invest over $500 million in development projects in the country, the poorest in the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi defence minister, said on X that the kingdom will launch "development projects and initiatives in vital sectors at a cost of 1.9 billion riyals ($506 million)" across 10 Yemeni governorates, including the island of Socotra.

The project will include the ​construction of hospitals, schools and roads, and the donation of fuel ‍to increase power production.

On Friday, thousands of Yemenis demonstrated in Aden in support of the STC, according to local media.

Crowds of Yemenis, numbering in the thousands, began travelling from southern governorates, particularly Al-Dhale'a, Lahj, and Abyan, towards Aden to participate in the rally.

The crowds gathered at the Khormaksar parade ground in response to a call from Al-Zubaidi to uphold a constitutional declaration issued earlier this month, which entails a two-year transitional phase ahead of an independence referendum. 

Videos shared on Arabic-language news channels showed the demonstrators brandishing the flag of southern Yemen, as well as portraits of Al-Zubaidi.

One of the protesters told local media that "military forces, acting on orders from Presidential Council head Al-Alimi, attempted to prevent" the demonstrators from reaching Aden, and "fired shots in the air".

Among the protesters’ other demands included the release of detained STC separatists held in Saudi Arabia.