The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday 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 a major crisis between the two Gulf powers and oil producers.
The UAE made its announcement hours after a Saudi-led coalition air strike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla.
The attack on what Riyadh said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment marked the most significant escalation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to date in a widening rift between the two Gulf monarchies.
Advertisement
Once the twin pillars of regional security, the Gulf heavyweights have seen their interests diverge on everything from oil quotas to geopolitical influence.
The UAE defence ministry said it had voluntarily ended the mission of its counterterrorism units in Yemen, the only remaining forces it had in the country after its military presence in Yemen “concluded” in 2019.
Advertisement
The ministry said the “remaining presence was limited to specialised personnel as part of counterterrorism efforts, in coordination with relevant international partners”.