Yemen: UAE Completes Troop Withdrawal Amid Rising Tensions in the South
On Friday, the Emirati Ministry of Defense announced the completion of the withdrawal of all UAE armed forces from Yemen, in line with a prior decision to end remaining military missions in the country.
The Ministry confirmed that the withdrawal was conducted with full security measures in place and in coordination with relevant partners.
This announcement comes amid escalating political and military tensions in southern Yemen, where Rashad Al-Alimi, president of the Southern Transitional Council, declared a state of emergency for 90 days and demanded the immediate departure of Emirati troops within 24 hours, following military movements by the Council in the Hadramout and Mahra governorates.
Al-Alimi emphasized the need to implement recent sovereign decisions, warning against any attempts to circumvent or obstruct them.
In this context, the governor of Hadramout has called on the Transitional Council to promptly secure the Mukalla airport, while Al-Alimi monitors the process of taking control of military camps to ensure compliance with sovereign decisions, coordinating with the coalition supporting legitimacy to promote de-escalation and protect civilians.
An official source from the Yemeni presidency indicated that Al-Alimi has been briefed on developments regarding the operation and measures taken by the governor of Hadramout and the commander of the "Homeland Shield" forces, Salem Al-Khanbashi, confirming that the aim is to maintain security and stability and prevent chaos or harm to citizens' interests.
