UAE escalates against Saudi forces in Socotra

SOCOTRA, Feb. 09 (YPA) – The UAE has stepped up its movements against the Saudi forces in the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra, southern Yemen.

Informed sources said on Wednesday that the UAE intelligence representative on Socotra, Khalfan Al-Mazrouei, directed the Southern Transitional Council (STC)’s militias, brought in from Dhalea and Yafe’a areas, to raise the secession flag at the gate of the island’s security directorate in Hadibo city, the capital of the island.

This Emirati escalation against the Saudi forces came after the latter’s forces equipped an operations room to pay financial gratuities to their loyalists on the island.

The commander of the so-called “808 Saudi forces” last Monday issued directives to prevent the movement of UAE helicopters unless after obtaining approval from him.

Last November, the UAE forced the Saudi forces to withdraw from Hadibo’s port and airport in order to establish a camp in the city.

YPA