UAE occupation declares state of emergency in Belhaf Facility

SHABWAH, Sept. 28 (YPA) – United Arab Emirates (UAE) occupation troops have declared a state of emergency in Belhaf the largest oil production facility in southeastern province of Shabwah after receiving Saudi threats  on Monday, Yemen News Portal reported.

Sources in the UAE-backed Shabwah Elite militias said that forces and elements loyal to them inside and around the facility have raised the highest alert and taken precautions in anticipation of an attack by Saudi-backed factions.

The moves came hours after a Saudi mediation committee informed UAE forces of a new escalation of the Islah party, Yemeni branch of Muslim Brotherhood.

The sources said the Saudi committee had informed the UAE side that the “Brotherhood” is preparing an attack on the facility and had given the Emiratis 48 hours to evacuate the facility.

The UAE had earlier engaged in Saudi mediation to reduce tensions in Shabwah which gave the Brotherhood the running of the facility in exchange for the survival of the UAE forces, but the latter gave the Brotherhood 24 hours to raise points and sites created in the vicinity of the facility, which were threatened by air strikes carried out in nearby Abyan, leaving the dead and wounded.

E.M