Fall of Aden (2026)

Last updated
Fall of Aden (2026)
Part of the 2025–2026 Southern Yemen offensive and Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Yemeni Civil War.svg
The political and military situation in Yemen following the battle
Date7 January 2026
Location
Aden, Yemen
Result
  • Yemeni government victory
  • Collapse of the STC
Territorial
changes		 PLC takes full control of Aden and surrounding governorates
Belligerents

Flag of Yemen.svg Yemeni Government (PLC)

Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia 		Flag of South Yemen (Non-standard Variant).svg Southern Transitional Council (STC)
Commanders and leaders
Flag of South Yemen (Non-standard Variant).svg Aidarus al-Zoubaidi  (AWOL)

On 7 January 2026, Yemeni government forces (Presidential Leadership Council, or PLC) captured the Southern Transitional Council's de facto capital, Aden, resulting in the STC's reported dissolution and the collapse of the group's forces in the area. [1] The city's capture was the culmination of a government counteroffensive against the STC that had previously captured Hadhramaut and al-Mahrah Governorates amid Saudi airstrikes against STC positions. [1] [2] Following Aden's capture, the secretary-general of the STC announced its dissolution and its leader Aidarus al-Zoubaidi fled to the United Arab Emirates. [3]

Contents

Background

Aden has changed hands several times over the course of the current civil war. In 2015, it was designated as the "temporary capital" of Yemen following the Houthi takeover of Sanaa. [4] A few weeks later, the Battle of Aden broke out between the Houthis and PLC. [5] Despite Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fleeing Aden, the government forces successfully recaptured the city and drove the Houthis out of the surrounding area. [5] [6] In 2018, the STC gained control of Aden and has held the city since. [7] [6]

2025–2026 offensive

A 2025 offensive by the STC gained large swathes of territory in southern and eastern Yemen. In early 2026, the Saudi-backed PLC launched a counteroffensive that took back much of the land in eastern Yemen with the assistance of Saudi airstrikes. [8] [9] [10] On 7 January, the Saudi-backed forces began advancing towards Aden, launching airstrikes against STC forces in the region. [1]

Battle

On 7 January 2026, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against the UAE-backed STC forces around Aden. The government army first entered the area at Al-Alam and moved into the city from there. [11] PLC forces captured the city's international airport and the presidential palace. The PLC claimed total control over the city and all districts of the governorate, but the STC denied these claims, saying that they still held control over some areas. [1]

Aftermath

After Aden's fall to the PLC, Zoubaidi went missing for a brief period of time. [1] He had been expected to fly to Riyadh for peace talks but did not arrive to board his plane. [1] [12] The Yemeni government charged Zoubaidi with high treason on 7 January. [3] [13] On 8 January, Saudi Arabia claimed that Zoubaidi had fled Aden by boat during the night to Somaliland, where he was then flown to the UAE via Mogadishu. [12] [14] [15] The STC maintains that Zoubaidi remains in Aden. [11]

A curfew was imposed on the city on 7 January after the battle, and was lifted on 9 January. [16] [17] The flag of Yemen was raised over government buildings in the city by PLC troops. [13]

On 9 January, the STC was reportedly dissolved by its secretary-general. However, others in the group's leadership have refuted this, claiming that the STC is still active. [16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Saudi-backed forces move on Aden as Yemen secessionist leader vanishes". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  2. ↑ "UAE-backed separatists withdraw from key Yemeni city after Saudi strikes". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  3. 1 2 "Southern Yemen separatist group says it will dissolve after its head fled to the UAE". NPR. The Associated Press. 2026-01-09. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  4. ↑ "Yemen has new 'temporary capital'". DW. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  5. 1 2 "Yemen's Despair on Full Display in 'Ruined' City (Published 2015)". The New York Times. 2015-04-10. Archived from the original on 2024-09-13. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  6. 1 2 "Conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea". Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  7. ↑ "Yemen crisis: Separatists seize government buildings in Aden". BBC. 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  8. ↑ "Scores of Yemen's separatists killed in clashes with Saudi-backed forces, official says". France 24. 2026-01-04. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  9. ↑ "Yemen's Aden calm after drones targeted above presidential palace, sources say". Reuters. 2026-01-06. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  10. ↑ CARA ANNA (2026-01-07). "What to know about the latest tensions in Yemen and the parties involved". AP News. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  11. 1 2 "Yemen government forces move into Aden as power balance shifts in south". Anadolu Ajansi. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  12. 1 2 Mokhasef, Reyam (2026-01-08). "Saudi coalition says separatist leader fled Yemen with UAE help, advances to Aden". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  13. 1 2 "Yemen's southern separatists have disbanded, STC member in Saudi Arabia says". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  14. ↑ "Saudi-led coalition says UAE helped smuggle separatist leader out of Yemen". BBC. 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  15. ↑ Salem, Mostafa (2026-01-08). "Saudi-backed forces move to capture key Yemeni city as crisis with UAE deepens". CNN. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  16. 1 2 "Separatist group in southern Yemen announces dissolution after its leader flees to the UAE". AP News. 2026-01-09. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  17. ↑ "Curfew lifted in Yemen's Aden". Middle East Monitor. 2026-01-09. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
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