UAE uses part of French company as secret prison in Yemen

SANAA, Nov. 8 (YPA) – International organizations have revealed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used part of a French company as a secret prison in the oil district of Balhaf in Shabwa province, southeast Yemen.

Three international organizations confirmed that a gas extraction site in the southern Yemeni city of Balhaf, part of which is being exploited by France’s Total company, includes a secret prison used by the UAE soldiers over the past two years.

Arms Watch, Smovas and Friends of the Earth organizations said in a report released on Thursday that the site has been hosting militias of the so-called elite forces under UAE supervision.

The testimonies speak of inhuman and degrading treatment (denial of care, torture) committed by UAE soldiers,” the report said.

French Le Monde newspaper confirmed the authenticity of this information on Thursday.

“The place of detention is at a military base set up by the Emiratis on part of a gas field in the southern city of Balhaf, which was seized at the request of the Yemeni government,” the French newspaper said.

The site is exploited by Yemen LNG, of which French Total owns 39.6%, along with US company Hunt (170.2%), Korean companies (21.4%) and Yemeni public companies (21.7%).

YPA