Saudi Arabia Reveals Detailes of Yemen Bombing
Saudi Arabia Reveals Detailes of Yemen Bombing
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Saudi Arabia has released more details on the coalition bombing of the Yemeni port of Mukalla, which has triggered tensions with Gulf Arab neighbour the United Arab Emirates and prompted the latter to say it will withdraw its forces from Yemen.
Coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Maliki showed images documenting the military operation carried out early on Tuesday morning
He stated that upon entering the port of Mukalla, it became clear that the two ships were carrying more than 80 vehicles and containers of weapons and ammunition.
He added that the UAE side transferred vehicles, containers, and Emirati personnel to the al-Rayyan base without informing Saudi Arabia.
The spokesman said the coalition adhered to the rules of engagement during the military operation.
The UAE announced the withdrawal of its forces from Yemen, declaring an end to what it called “counterterrorism” operations there, after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of supporting separatists in Yemen.
The announcement on Tuesday came after Yemen’s internationally recognised government demanded the UAE pull its forces from the country within 24 hours, a call backed by Saudi Arabia.
Hours earlier, Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces attacked the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, targeting what Riyadh said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment destined for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen.
The STC, which initially supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthi rebels, launched an offensive against the Saudi Arabia-backed government troops this month, seeking an independent state in the south.
The advance broke years of deadlock, with the STC seizing control of broad swaths of southern Yemen, including the Hadramout and Mahara provinces, in defiance of warnings from Riyadh.
Hadramout borders Saudi Arabia, and Mahara is close to the border.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday said it was disappointed about “pressure exerted by the UAE” on the STC to conduct military operations in the Hadramout and Mahara provinces. Riyadh said it considered the moves a threat to its national security.
“In this context, the kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralise any such threat,” it said.
Following Tuesday’s rapid-fire events, the UAE’s Ministry of Defence said it carried out a “comprehensive assessment” of its role in Yemen and decided to end its mission there.
“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,” the ministry said in a statement.
