From military officer to separatist leader: the rise of Aydarus al-Zubaydi

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Aydarus al-Zubaydi’s journey from a second lieutenant in the South Yemeni Air Force to the head of a secessionist movement illustrates the volatile path of Yemeni politics. His career is defined by a shift from state service to leading an insurgency that eventually challenged the very government he once served.

Born in 1967 in the mountains of Dhale, al-Zubaydi began his career in the South Yemeni military, serving as a second lieutenant in the Air Force from 1988 to 1989. Following the 1990 unification of Yemen, he moved into internal security, serving in the Ministry of Interior's Central Security Organization. However, his trajectory shifted dramatically during the 1994 civil war. He fought for the breakaway Democratic Republic of Yemen against northern forces, eventually fleeing to Djibouti in 1994 after their defeat.

Upon returning in 1996, al-Zubaydi founded the Hatham Movement, an insurgent group advocating for southern self-determination. After being sentenced to death in absentia for an assassination campaign against northern officials between 1997 and 1998, he received a pardon from President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2000. He transitioned into formal politics, but revived the Hatham Movement in 2011 during the Yemeni revolution, leading to renewed clashes with military forces in the south.

In 2014, al-Zubaydi formed the Southern Resistance, aligning with the internationally-recognized government to fight Houthis. He was appointed governor of Aden in December 2015, where he successfully cleared militant groups like IS-YP and AQAP from the city by March 2016. However, his growing autonomy and independent cooperation with foreign actors led to his firing by President Hadi in April 2017. This sparked the formation of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which declared self-rule in 2020 and eventually launched a massive offensive in late 2025.

Al-Zubaydi's influence peaked with the STC's declaration of the 'state of South Arabia' in January 2026. This was short-lived; a Saudi-led intervention in the same month forced him into exile. By January 2026, the Presidential Leadership Council accused him of treason and fleeing to the United Arab Emirates via Somaliland, marking the end of his direct governance over the southern regions.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a military officer became Yemen's president during a decade of national upheaval
• How a Zaydi religious scholar became the central figure of Yemen's ongoing civil war
• The fractured legacy of a unified Yemen
• How a Zaydi revivalist movement in northern Yemen became a global military force
• The Rise and Fall of the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen's Civil War
• How a brutal alpine power struggle nearly ignited the Thirty Years War in Switzerland
• The neurologist who survived an axe attack to lead Iraq
• The first princely state to join Pakistan in 1947
• The Swedish count who drove the Queen of France's escape carriage
• The diplomat who traded Mughal leverage for Maratha supremacy
• The 'Temporary Gentlemen' who became infamous for burning a city
• The woman who invented the secret identity of the superhero

More in Early modern wars · More in Wars & Conflicts · Latest · A–Z · All topics