UAE Troops Retreat from Yemen
"Given the recent developments and the potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism tasks, the Ministry of Defense announces the termination of the remaining counterterrorism teams in Yemen of its own free will, in a manner that ensures the safety of its personnel, and in coordination with the concerned partners," the ministry said in a statement.
The UAE Ministry of Defense noted that Emirati forces joined the Saudi-led Arab coalition in 2015 "in support of legitimacy in Yemen, to back international efforts to combat terrorist organizations, and to help achieve security and stability in the brotherly country of Yemen."
The statement emphasized that UAE troops "made great sacrifices to achieve these goals."
UAE forces withdrew their main military presence in 2019 after completing assigned objectives "within the agreed official frameworks," according to the ministry. Only specialized counterterrorism units remained afterward, operating "in coordination with relevant international partners."
Abdulla Mohammed Butti Al Hamed, chairman of the UAE National Media Office, insisted Abu Dhabi's decision reflected "wisdom rather than emotion," emphasizing that ties with Saudi Arabia "are rooted in blood, shared sacrifices, and a joint future."
"What binds us to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia goes beyond geography and politics; it is blood intermingled on the battlefield, a history written in sacrifice, and a future we envision only together," he said.
Al Hamed dismissed accusations portraying the UAE as escalating hostilities, calling such narratives inconsistent with facts.
"Those who confront terrorism, the Houthis, Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood shoulder to shoulder with their brothers cannot simultaneously be the ones who ignite a conflict that threatens those brothers' borders," he added.
He urged "wisdom and restraint," cautioning that undermining the strategic partnership between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh would be "a free gift to the enemies of stability."
The withdrawal follows Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi's cancellation early Tuesday of a joint defense agreement with the UAE, demanding Emirati forces leave within 24 hours. Al-Alimi simultaneously imposed a 90-day state of emergency and enacted a 72-hour closure of all air and land ports and border crossings.
This came hours after the Saudi-led coalition executed a "limited" airstrike on two UAE-linked vessels docked at Mukalla port in Yemen.
Tensions have surged since the Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized control of the eastern provinces of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra earlier this month following violent clashes with government troops.
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