Yemen is threatening to fracture even further, exposing a growing rift between Middle East powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen's Saudi-backed presidential leadership council has dismissed Defence Minister Mohsen al-Daeri in the internationally recognised government, the state news agency Saba reported on Thursday.

A council fighting against Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Wednesday that it had expelled the leader of a separatist movement and charged him with treason after he reportedly declined to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks.

The Southern Transitional Council said Aidarous al-Zubaidi remained in Aden “to ensure security.” It also accused Saudi Arabia of launching deadly airstrikes in Yemen.

Sanaa: Yemen is threatening to fracture even further, exposing a growing rift between Middle East powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The latest friction is among members of the Saudi-led coalition based in Yemen’s south that for years has been fighting Iranian-backed Houthis based in the north.

Southern Transitional Council chief Aidarous al-Zubaidi didn't board plane to Saudi Arabia with other official for talks, now said to have 'fled to an unknown location'

Yemen’s separatist movement has announced a constitution for an independent nation in the south and demanded other factions in the war-torn country accept the move.