From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 9, 2026
Yemen separatists announce ‘dissolution’ on Saudi TV, but their own spokesman disputes it
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
A delegation of Yemeni separatists in Riyadh says their group is dissolving today after a failed land grab, only for the announcement to later be dismissed by the group’s spokesman, who called it “ridiculous.”
Southern Transitional Council (STC) secretary general Abdulrahman al-Subaihi appears distracted as he reads a prepared statement on a Saudi TV news channel.
“We announce the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council,” reads the statement, which is also carried by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s official news agency.
It also pledges their “commitment to working towards achieving our just southern goal through preparations for a comprehensive southern conference under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Subaihi is among a 50-plus STC delegation that has been incommunicado since arriving in Riyadh in the early hours of Wednesday.
Other Yemeni officials shown in the footage appear sombre.
The delegation was summoned to Riyadh after the United Arab Emirates-backed STC seized swathes of territory last month before being repelled by Saudi warplanes and pro-Saudi forces.
However, STC spokesman Anwar al-Tamimi, who is in Abu Dhabi, rejects the announcement coming out of Saudi Arabia.
“This news is ridiculous,” he tells AFP, confirming the delegation remained out of contact.
The Times of Israel Community.