The United Arab Emirates said said it was pulling out its remaining forces in Yemen after Saudi Arabia backed a call for UAE forces to leave the country within 24 hours.
“In light of recent developments and their potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism missions, the Ministry of Defence announces 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,” said the UAE’s Ministry of Defence on X.
The Gulf monarchy also rejected Saudi Arabia’s accusations that it supplied weapons to a Yemeni separatist faction amid rising tensions between the two Gulf monarchies.
“The shipment in question did not contain any weapons, and the vehicles unloaded were not intended for any Yemeni party,” said the UAE.
Saudi Arabia declared a UAE-backed separatist advance in Yemen a threat to the kingdom’s national security and called Abu Dhabi’s actions “highly dangerous”, as the rivalry between the Gulf monarchies boiled over into an open dispute.
The strongly worded foreign ministry statement came hours after the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said it had struck a United Arab Emirates weapons shipment destined for separatist forces.
