UAE Completes Troop Withdrawal from Yemen Amid Rising Tensions in the South
On Friday, the Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates announced the completion of the withdrawal of all Emirati forces from Yemen, in line with a prior decision to end remaining troop deployments.
The ministry confirmed that the return was conducted with security measures in place and in full coordination with involved partners.
This announcement follows a political and military escalation in southern Yemen, where Rashad Alimi, president of the Southern Transitional Council, declared a state of emergency for 90 days and demanded that Emirati troops leave the country within 24 hours, following military movements by the council in the provinces of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra.
Alimi previously emphasized the need to implement final sovereign decisions and warned against any attempts to override or obstruct these measures.
In this context, the governor of Hadramaut urged the Transitional Council to vacate Mukalla Airport immediately, while Alimi supervises the process of taking over military bases, ensuring that it aligns with sovereign decisions and is coordinated with the coalition supporting legitimacy, in order to reduce escalation and protect civilians.
An official source from the Yemeni president's office stated that Alimi was updated on the progress of the process and the actions taken by the governor of Hadramaut and the commander of the Homeland Security Forces, Salem Al-Khanbashi, along with other involved leaders. The aim is to maintain security and stability while preventing chaos or harm to citizens' interests.
