“The UAE withdrew its troops from Yemen after the escalation of the crisis and an ultimatum from Saudi Arabia over their stay.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Houthis in the capital of Yemen, Sana’a. Photo: Getty Images Source: Reuters
Details: The aggravation of the situation was preceded by an airstrike by coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia on the port of Mukalla in the south of Yemen. Riyadh said the target of the attack was a shipment of weapons and ammunition delivered from the UAE. The coalition claims that these weapons were planned to be distributed in the Hadramout region to support the separatists.
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The head of Yemen’s presidential council, Rashad al-Alimi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia, gave Emirati forces a day to leave the country. He accused the UAE of inciting the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) to destabilize the situation in the region and “rebell against the authorities.”
Saudi Arabia called the actions of the UAE a threat to its national security and described it as a “red line”. Riyadh believes that the Emirates are using Yemeni separatists to advance their interests within the kingdom’s borders.
In response, the UAE Ministry of Defense announced the “voluntary termination” of the mission of its anti-terrorist units. The department noted that now their participation will be limited to “specialized personnel” to coordinate with partners.
Washington has already reacted to the situation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with the foreign ministers of both countries in an effort to reduce tensions in the region. Other Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, have expressed support for efforts to establish dialogue.
For reference: The Houthis, or the Ansar Allah movement, are a paramilitary group based in northern Yemen that enjoys military and financial support from Iran.
The conflict escalated in 2014, when the Houthis captured the country’s capital, Sana’a. The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia was formed in 2015 to fight against them and restore the power of the legitimate government.
The Houthis control a large part of densely populated areas of Yemen. They are known for regular attacks on the oil infrastructure of Saudi Arabia, and in recent years for systematic attacks on civilian merchant ships in the Red Sea, which poses a threat to world trade.
Prehistory:
- Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been major allies in the war against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015. However, their interests have diverged sharply in recent years, with Riyadh supporting Yemen’s official government, while Abu Dhabi is betting on the separatist Southern Transitional Council, which seeks autonomy for the south.
- In 2019, the UAE has already withdrawn the main part of its contingent, leaving only counter-terrorist units.