UAE continues to build military bases in Socotra

SOCOTRA, Dec. 14 (YPA) – The UAE occupation continued to build military bases in the province of the Socotra archipelago, and transported military equipment to it with the approval of Saudi Arabia, Qatar state-owned Al-Jazeera reported, citing a source.

According to the source, the UAE “has pressed to disrupt parliamentary accountability to the government about building UAE bases in Socotra.”

The source expressed surprise at the “absence of the Socotra case from the military measures that pave the way for the announcement of the new government”.

The UAE-backed Southern Trinational council (STC) militias have controlled Socotra since June.

“The UAE has sent 25 officers and 15 foreign experts to strengthen its presence after the formation of the government,” the source said.

He pointed to large-scale Emirati moves to buy houses and farms in strategic areas of the archipelago.

On Sunday, for the third day in a row, military withdrawals from frontlines continued in the southern Province of Abyan.

On Friday, Abyan province has witnessed  the first steps of withdrawing troops as part of the process of military withdrawals under the Riyadh agreement between the legitimate government and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.

The withdrawal follows reports that the prospective Government is close to announcing the outcome of the government’s understandings on the latest arrangements ahead of their formal announcement.

E.M