UAE brings new armed elements, deploys them in Socotra Archipelago

SOCOTRA, Nov. 22 (YPA) – The strategic Yemeni island of Socotra, located east of the Gulf of Aden, is witnessing escalating tensions in the context of a regional power struggle, resulting from the deployment of new military factions that threaten to ignite the situation in the archipelago.

A local source confirmed that the UAE brought in armed elements from outside Socotra and trained them with the aim of establishing a “new brigade” led by a man named “Mohsen al-Hajj,” who was the Chief of Staff of the 1st Marine Brigade before the UAE-backed factions seized control of Hadibu, the archipelago’s capital, in June 2022. This move is part of the UAE’s trend of abandoning the people of Socotra.

The source attributed the UAE’s decision to bring in elements from Dalea and Lahj to a lack of trust in the island’s inhabitants. The source also indicated that the UAE is enabling the recruits and commanders it brought in to control key battalions within the 1st Brigade, such as the artillery, tank, and air defense battalions, amidst military movements that are increasing tensions with the people of Socotra.

The source reported that the new brigade’s camp will be located at the former site of the Third Battalion, amid accusations that the commander, “Al-Hajj,” is working towards achieving foreign political and military agendas aimed at dominating the islands of the Socotra archipelago.

This comes after the completion of the joint military base with the Zionist entity on Abd al-Kuri Island at the beginning of this year.

This follows the UAE forces’ decision to dismiss approximately 800 recruits from Socotra, which led to angry protests by them in Hadibu at the beginning of last September, denouncing the sudden cessation of financial support and the withdrawal of military equipment from them.