UAE plot to topple Marib city puts Islah Party in desert sands

SANAA, May 17 (YPA) – The UAE has moved forcefully in areas under the control of the Saudi-backed Islah Party in Marib city and Al-Wadi District, aiming to reshape its influence through a soft strategy of “collapse from within.”

This move came by expanding its relations with certain tribal sheikhs and influential figures in those areas, in a clear attempt to pull the rug out from under the feet of the Islah-affiliated authorities.

Over the past years, the UAE has sought to revive the role of the pro-coalition “The General Peoples’ Congress” (GPC) Party (Al-Mutamar Party) in the city and present it as an effective force through political, military, and financial support, aiming to create a ready political and military alternative to Islah’s influence.

In this context, features of high-level security understandings and coordination emerge to prepare the ground in Marib city. These were led by “Ammar Saleh” in coordination with the so-called “Chief of Staff, Sagheer bin Aziz” and some tribal leaders, as part of extensive movements to win the loyalty of sheikhs from major tribes, including Murad and Abidah, who are present in Marib city and elsewhere.

The movement became clearly visible through direct Emirati aid to military commanders loyal to the GPC, specifically “Bin Aziz,” who is present in the city, reflecting the transition of the infiltration plan from the secret phase into the open.

Recently, the announcement of a donation of one billion riyals by the pro-UAE “Tariq Saleh” to support wounded Islah recruits has sparked widespread questions. The donation comes in the context of building a greater political and military presence for “Tariq” and attempting to whitewash stances through “financial diplomacy.”

As a result of this provocative step, the donation was met with angry reactions from Islah activists, including Al-Jazeera’s Yemeni Affairs Editor, Ahmed Al-Shalafi, who commented in a post on “X”:

“The billion paid by Tariq to the wounded does not absolve him of the mistakes and sins he committed throughout his military career, starting from the ‘Friday of Dignity’ in 2011, to the sniping crimes in 2016, and ending with changing the theater of operations in the Hadramout invasion via the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.”

Al-Shalafi added, “The money is not his, as you know. He fled Sanaa, fearful and vigilant, as he said, on the back of a transport vehicle, with neither money nor men.”

Tariq Saleh’s media machine did not remain silent; the posts of Islah loyalists were met with fiery responses accusing the Islah Party of terrorism. This triggered a fierce media confrontation that exposes the existential conflict brewing beneath the ashes in the last stronghold of Islah, which controls the Safer oil and gas facility.

YPA