The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense announced in an official statement that the presence of the country’s remaining counter-terrorism teams in Yemen has ended.
The UAE claimed that it has participated in the Saudi-led Arab coalition since 2015 to support the coalition-backed government and fight terrorist groups in Yemen, and has made great sacrifices.
According to a statement, the UAE Armed Forces ended their military presence in 2019 after completing their main missions, leaving only special teams for counter-terrorism operations in coordination with international partners.
The ministry added that, given the recent developments and their impact on the effectiveness of the counter-terrorism mission, it is announcing the end of the presence of these teams, a move that was taken within the framework of assessing the needs of the current stage and the UAE’s commitment to regional security and stability.
This announcement follows Saudi Arabia’s 24-hour deadline for the UAE to withdraw its military forces from Yemen.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry has called the UAE’s recent actions in Yemen very dangerous and contrary to the principles of the coalition, and expressed regret over Abu Dhabi’s pressure on the Southern Transitional Council for operations in Hadramaut and Al-Mahra.
Riyadh emphasized that any threat to Saudi national security is a “red line” and announced its full support for the Yemeni Presidential Council.
These developments occurred after the escalation of fighting between Saudi- and Emirati-backed forces in the occupied areas of Yemen and the Saudi airstrike on the port of Mukalla in Hadramaut.
