DUBAI, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Yemen’s main southern separatist group has decided to disband, one of its members said in a statement broadcast on state media on Friday in Saudi Arabia, where a delegation from the group, which appears to be splitting, has been attending peace talks.
There was no immediate comment from those members of the separatist group – the Southern Transitional Council (STC) – who are not taking part in the Riyadh talks, which were aimed at ending a crisis between Gulf powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over developments in Yemen.
The UAE-backed leader of STC, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, fled Yemen on Wednesday instead of heading to Saudi Arabia for the talks, which follow a sweeping advance through southern Yemen by the STC close to Saudi Arabia’s border, which angered the Saudi government.
The Saudi-led coalition later said he had escaped with the help of UAE officers on a flight that ultimately landed at a military airport in Abu Dhabi.
A member of the delegation in Riyadh read a statement outlining the decision to disband the group on Saudi Arabia’s state al Ekhbariya TV and media in Yemen.
The STC had said it had lost contact with all members of the delegation in Riyadh, indicating a split was emerging within the group.
(Reporting by Jana Choukeir; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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