UAE troops return from Aden after restoring peace and stability to areas of Yemen
UAE army chiefs announced the return of soldiers serving in Aden, Yemen, after restoring stability to the area.
The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces said the troops achieved their goal of “liberating the region” before handing over responsibilities to Yemeni and Saudi troops.
General Command told the state news agency Wam that forces returning from Aden liberated the city from Houthi and terrorist organisations on July 17, 2015.
“Thereafter, the Saudi-led Arab Coalition forces spread out from Aden and liberated many other areas of Yemen from the Houthi rebels, foiling Iranian attempts to infiltrate Yemen and dominate its affairs,” it said. General Command said UAE and Saudi troops worked together to uproot terrorist threats.
“As a result, security and stability were restored across the governorate,” it said.
“The forces also armed and trained the Yemeni forces in a way that would enable them to discharge their military responsibilities independently.
“The Yemeni forces thus trained are highly competent, professional and capable of maintaining security and stability,” the UAE military said.
It said UAE forces would resume, with their allies, their fight against terrorist forces in South Yemen and other regions.
General Command praised the role of the UAE military in recent years to combat terrorism and paid tribute to those who had died in the line of duty.
It reaffirmed the commitment of the UAE Armed Forces as part of the Arab Coalition to support the people of Yemen.
The UAE announced in July that it would redeploy its troops in Yemen, as part of a move from a military strategy to a focus on the emerging peace process.
“We do have troop levels that are down for reasons that are strategic in Hodeidah and reasons that are tactical” elsewhere in the country, a senior UAE official said at the time.
“It is very much to do with moving from what I would call a military-first strategy to a peace-first strategy.” The decision came after partial successes towards a political agreement made between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels over the port city of Hodeidah.
Mohammed Al Bawardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and Lt Gen Hamad Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces receive UAE troops