The cards are in the Emiratis’ court. They are going to have to pull their own creation back from the desire
for independence if we are going to have stability in this country
“While everyone thinks the war in Yemen is between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government the
real war, which is starting right now, is between the north and the south of the country,” he said.
At that point, a full 10 days before the bloody takeover of Aden, the war-drumming rhetoric fell flat against
the backdrop of glittering chandeliers and elevator music, that seemed so far from the front lines of the
Gulf’s poorest country.
After all the STC’s leadership, which is almost entirely based in Abu Dhabi, had been threatening war for
over a year and nothing had come of it.
“There will be a huge political and military step by the STC soon,” Khubaji had said, leaning forward with
excitement. “This step might be in coordination with the UAE.”
Another southern leader, who asked to remain anonymous, met in a different Abu Dhabi cafe echoing the
same words.
Huraizi holds urgent meetings with his
tribesmen after Aden is taken by separatists
(Bel Trew)“The current war with the north will not last, but it will start other smaller wars,” he said. “The UAE
understands our case. We would actually prefer the Emirates remain there in the south for a bit, we know
that like us they are not happy with the Islamists,” he added.
Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied it is backing the STC’s bid for southern independence. But experts have
warned that Emirati support for the group, and its impressive unfurling of military infrastructure in the
south, is a wedge in the seemingly unshakeable relationship with Saudi Arabia.
They believe the two countries have different priorities in Yemen: for the Saudis it is the Iran-backed
Houthis that have repeatedly fired long-range missiles at their airports, for the UAE it is the Muslim
Brotherhood.
“The threat of the Houthis for the UAE is not as existential as the threat of the Muslim brotherhood is,”
says Ahmed Ali al-Mukhaini, a political researcher and former assistant secretary general for the Omani
shura. “As far as the UAE is concerned this is their biggest worry.”