Foreign officers arrive on Yemeni island of Socotra to open military base

SOCOTRA, Jul. 03 (YPA) – A number of Emirati and foreign officers have arrived at Hadibo Airport in the Yemeni Socotra archipelago province, a media source reported on Sunday.

“Balqis” TV satellite channel quoted private sources as saying ” A number of Emirati officers arrived at Hadibo Airport on board an Arab Airlines plane, with the aim of opening a camp in the strategic Ras Qutaynan area, southwest of the island.”

Last week, local sources confirmed the arrival of an Emirati plane to the island of Abd al-Kuri in Socotra province, carrying Emirati officers and foreign military personnel.

The sources suggested that the UAE aims to finalize the Emirati military base on Abd al-Kuri Island, which was set up by the Emirati forces without the knowledge or approval of the Yemeni government.

Since the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council militia took control of Socotra in July 2019, the island has turned into a focus of Emirati activity aimed at isolating the island from its Yemeni surroundings.

YPA