Fisherman killed, others arrested off coasts of Socotra archipelago

SOCOTRA, May 06 (YPA) – A fisherman was killed and three others from Hodeida had been kidnapped by UAE forces off the coast of the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra, located east of the Gulf of Aden.

Source familiar with the matter said that Emirati militiamen opened fire on Sunday on a fishing boat carrying four fishermen from Hodeida sons who live in Socotra, killing the boat’s captain, arresting three others.

The source explained that the shooting at the fishing boats came under the direction of the UAE-backed governor of Socotra, Raafat Al-Thaqali, on the pretext of suspicion of smuggling Qat into the island.

The incident came within the context of the systematic targeting of residents of the northern provinces residing on Socotra following their forced deportation from the island last April, the source added.

AA