Somalia opened an urgent investigation on Thursday into reports that its airspace and airports were used without authorization to facilitate the movement of Yemeni fugitive head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidrous al-Zubaidi in order to determine whether the alleged activity violated national law or established procedures and protocols.
A statement by Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA) emphasized that facilitating the entry of fugitives or undertaking unilateral actions on Somali territory without legal authorization is unacceptable.
It added that respect for sovereignty and adherence to national and international legal frameworks are principles that are not negotiable. Any such acts, if proven, would constitute a serious violation of national sovereignty and immigration laws, it said.
The statement said Somalia would take the necessary measures in line with the investigation’s findings to ensure full accountability for any confirmed violations, while reaffirming the country’s firm commitment to the rule of law, respect for international norms, and the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It also confirmed Somalia’s support for Saudi Arabia’s call for southern dialogue in Riyadh as the appropriate political track to address the situation in Yemen, stating that any attempts to circumvent this process would directly undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Earlier on Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s legitimate government said al-Zubaidi and others had fled via a maritime vessel that departed the port of Aden toward Somaliland shortly after midnight on Wednesday, with its identification system switched off, arriving at the port of Berbera at around noon.
In a statement by its spokesman, Turki al-Maliki, the coalition stated, al-Zubaidi contacted Maj. Gen. Awad al-Ahbabi, commander of the UAE's joint operations, was to be informed of their arrival.
An Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft was waiting and took them on board under the supervision of Emirati officers, departing without specifying a destination before landing at Mogadishu airport at 3:15 p.m.
The statement said the aircraft waited at the airport for an hour before departing at 4:17 p.m. to travel via the Arabian Sea to the Arabian Gulf, without specifying a final destination.
The identification system was switched off over the Gulf of Oman and reactivated ten minutes before landing at Al Reef military airport in Abu Dhabi at 8:47 p.m. Saudi time.
The coalition said its forces were still tracking information on the fate of several individuals said to have been the last to meet al-Zubaidi before his escape from Aden, including Ahmed Lamlas, the former Aden governor, and Mohsen al-Wali, commander of the Security Belt Forces in the governorate, with whom contact has been lost.
On Wednesday, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad al-Alimi issued a decree expelling al-Zubaidi from the council and referring him to the public prosecutor over accusations of crimes classified as high treason and acts undermining state security and unity.
The decree said investigations had established what it described as al-Zubaidi’s abuse of the southern cause and its exploitation to commit serious violations against civilians in southern governorates, in addition to harming the republic’s political and economic standing, attacking the constitution and constitutional authorities, and obstructing state efforts to confront the Houthi coup and rebellion.
