Shabwa governor threatens UAE with military option

SHABWA, Nov. 15 (YPA) – Shabwa governor, Mohammed Saleh bin Adio, appointed by the Saudi-backed Islah Party, threatened the UAE with a military option, to storm Balhaf gas port.

“The UAE refuses to leave Balhaf port to export the oil and gas derivatives,” denying the existence of any discussions between local authorities with the Emiratis in this regard, the governor said in an interview with the Russian “Sputnik” agency.

Bin Adio noted that “the UAE has created anti-Hadi government militias, and is not subject to it or under its command, which is parallel entities to fight wars and carry out assassinations against the government.”

The governor explained that the UAE has paid 90,000 for mercenary one monthly in all southern provinces, starting with Mahra and Hadramout Shabwa, Abyan, Aden, Taiz and the western coast.

He indicated that these people are not state employees, but rather mercenaries working with a foreign country, and that these militias are not subject to the Ministries of Defense and Interior in the “Hadi government.”

Shabwa authorities can enter the Balhaf facility, where there are about 100 Emiratis guarding the port, in addition to Sudanese and Bahraini soldiers, but in small numbers.

The Saudi military delegation, which arrived at the end of last August in Shabwa, stated that the military situation in the UAE-held Balhaf gas facility, had not deteriorated since the end of 2016.

AA