UAE concludes military presence in Yemen

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday “the termination of the remaining counterterrorism personnel in Yemen of its own volition, in a manner that ensures the safety of its personnel and in coordination with the concerned partners”.

The UAE made its announcement hours after a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla on what Riyadh said was “a UAE-linked weapons shipment”.

The statement, reported by WAM, maintained that the kingdom was taking the decision “in light of recent developments and their potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism missions”.

The statement read that, “The Ministry of Defence affirms that the United Arab Emirates has participated as part of the Arab Coalition since 2015 in support of legitimacy in Yemen, in backing international efforts to combat terrorist organisations, and in pursuit of security and stability for the brotherly Yemeni people. The UAE has made great sacrifices in achieving these objectives.

“The Ministry of Defence notes that the UAE Armed Forces concluded their military presence in the Republic of Yemen in 2019 after completing the assigned missions within the agreed official frameworks. The remaining presence was limited to specialised personnel as part of counterterrorism efforts, in coordination with relevant international partners.”

The defence ministry’s announcement came following a statement issued by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s statement regarding the same.

The MoFA’s statement read: “The United Arab Emirates expresses concern regarding the statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the fundamental inaccuracies it contains regarding the UAE’s role in the ongoing developments in the Republic of Yemen.

“The UAE categorically rejects any attempt to implicate the country in tensions among Yemeni parties and strongly denounces allegations that it exerted pressure on, or issued directives to, any Yemeni party to undertake military operations that would undermine the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or target its borders.”

The UAE reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to the security and stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its full respect for the Kingdom’s sovereignty and national security, and its rejection of any actions that could threaten the security of the Kingdom or the wider region”.

The Ministry called for addressing the recent developments “responsibly” and in a manner that “prevents escalation”.