Saudi Arabia is on military alert following announcement of pro-UAE “Socotra Council”

SOCOTRA, Dec. 18 (YPA) – Saudi Arabia has announced its military alert following the announcement of the UAE-backed “Socotra Council” on the Yemeni island last Thursday.

According to informed sources on the island, Saudi Arabia sent a military delegation to the Socotra Archipelago, east of the Gulf of Aden, last Monday, led by Muhammad Bashir Al-Anzi and the commander of the island’s forces “808,” following the UAE’s council declaring so-called “autonomy.”

The sources noted that the Emirati declaration of “self-rule” by Khalfan Al Mazrouei was a provocation to Saudi influence, and the Saudi delegation met with Abdullah bin Afrar upon its arrival in Hadibo city, the center of the archipelago.

The sources indicated that the UAE has recently moved to limit the Saudi presence on the island since the arrival of its forces in 2018, which caused tension between the two state partners in the Saudi-led coalition. The sources reported that the Saudi-Emirati differences in Socotra have reached a state of tension that is likely to explode, coinciding with the expansion of Saudi interests in Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah.

Since the arrival of its forces in 2018, the UAE has worked to restrict Saudi presence on the island, causing tension between the two Saudi-led coalition partners, and this tension is likely to escalate as Saudi interests expand in Hadramout and Mahrah provinces, according to sources.

The sources added that Saudi Arabia has requested the return of Sheikh of Sheikhs of Socotra, Issa Salem bin Yaqout, and the island’s former governor, Ramzi Mahrous, to limit the powers of the new council established by the UAE, headed by “Ali bin Afraar,” who holds Emirati citizenship.

YPA