Aidarus Al-Zubaidi Escapes By Vessel To Somaliland, Then Airlifted To Abu Dhabi

Coalition officials reported that Aidarus Al-Zubaidi left Aden by sea and then by air, using a vessel and an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft that repeatedly disabled identification systems, before landing at Al Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi on 7 January.

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said intelligence showed Al-Zubaidi escaped the Port of Aden shortly after midnight on 7 January aboard the vessel BAMEDHAF, then continued by chartered cargo aircraft, supported by UAE officers, along a route that included Berbera and Mogadishu.

According to the statement, BAMEDHAF departed Aden just after midnight on 7 January, heading towards Somaliland Province in the Federal Republic of Somalia. The ship reportedly switched off its identification systems before sailing to the Port of Berbera, where it arrived at 12:00 PM, and Al-Zubaidi then moved to an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft.

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The Ilyushin Il-76, operating as Flight Number MZB-9102, was said to have taken off without a declared destination. Intelligence indicated that the aircraft carried Al-Zubaidi and several companions under the supervision of UAE officers, first to Mogadishu Airport, then onward across the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

Major General Turki Al-Malki stated that the BAMEDHAF review showed registration under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The same flag was linked to the vessel GREENLAND, which previously moved combat vehicles and weapons from the Port of Fujairah to the Port of Mukalla, as referenced in an earlier Joint Forces Command statement.

Coalition intelligence further reported that the Il-76 landed at Mogadishu Airport at 15:15, waited on the tarmac for around one hour, and departed again at 16:17. The aircraft then flew towards the Arabian Gulf via the Arabian Sea, without a declared destination, and later deactivated its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman.

Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen tracking associates in Aidarus Al-Zubaidi escape

The statement noted that the aircraft reactivated its identification systems only ten minutes before landing at Al Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi at 20:47 Kingdom Time. It also observed that this type of aircraft was often used in conflict zones on routes involving Libya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, raising further concern for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.

The Coalition Forces said they continued to follow intelligence on those last reported to have met Al-Zubaidi before the escape from Aden. This monitoring included Ahmed Hamid Lamlas, former Governor of Aden, and Mohsen Al-Wali, Commander of the Security Belt Forces in Aden, with whom communication had completely stopped.

"Further to the statement issued by the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition on , regarding the circumstances of the escape of Aidarus Al-Zubaidi to an unknown location, reliable intelligence indicates that Al-Zubaidi and his associates fled under the cover of darkness aboard the vessel BAMEDHAF (IMO: 8101393). The vessel departed the Port of Aden shortly after midnight on January 7, heading towards the Somaliland Province in the Federal Republic of Somalia. The vessel disabled its identification systems before heading to the Port of Berbera, where it arrived at 12:00 PM. During this time, intelligence revealed that Al-Zubaidi contacted an officer known as "Abu Saeed"—later identified as Major General Awad Saeed Bin Musleh Al Ahbabi, Commander of Joint Operations in the UAE Armed Forces—to inform him of their arrival. Waiting for them was an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft (Flight Number: MZB-9102), which had taken off without a declared destination. Al-Zubaidi and his companions boarded the aircraft under the supervision of UAE officers. The plane landed at Mogadishu Airport at 15:15, remained on the tarmac for approximately one hour, and then departed at 16:17, heading towards the Arabian Gulf via the Arabian Sea, again without a declared destination. The aircraft disabled its identification systems over the Gulf of Oman, reactivating them only ten minutes prior to landing at Al Reef Military Air Base in Abu Dhabi at 20:47 Kingdom Time. It has been noted that this specific type of aircraft is frequently utilized in conflict zones along routes involving Libya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. A review of the registration of the vessel BAMEDHAF confirms it sails under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. This is the same flag used by the vessel GREENLAND, which transported combat vehicles and weapons from the Port of Fujairah to the Port of Mukalla, as detailed in the Joint Forces Command statement dated . The Coalition Forces continue to closely monitor intelligence regarding the whereabouts of individuals who were reported to be the last to meet with Aidarus Al-Zubaidi prior to his flight from Aden. This includes Ahmed Hamid Lamlas (former Governor of Aden) and Mohsen Al-Wali (Commander of the Security Belt Forces in Aden), with whom all communication has been lost."

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen presented these details to document Al-Zubaidi’s movements and related contacts on 7 January. Officials stressed the focus on tracking the escape network, the use of BAMEDHAF and the Il-76 aircraft, and the loss of contact with key figures linked to the case.

With inputs from SPA