UAE deploys military trainers to Socotra amid protests over unpaid salaries

SOCOTRA, Sept. 20 (YPA) – Emirati forces have deployed a team of military trainers to the Yemeni island of Socotra, a local source reported on Friday, in a move believed to be a response to recent protests in the archipelago.

The source confirmed that the military team, which arrived from Aden on a Yemeni aircraft, is from Dhalea and Yaf’aa areas, and its mission is to train pro-UAE armed groups on the island.

This move comes as Socotra witnesses widespread protests by hundreds of local recruits who demonstrated in the city of Hadibo after their salaries and food rations were abruptly cut.

The source noted that the UAE had previously recruited and trained some 800 locals from the island, raising questions about the need for additional training teams. This development also coincides with Saudi Arabia’s appointment of a new commander for its forces in Socotra, following protests that targeted the Emirati leadership.

It is worth noting that in 2020, the UAE established a joint military base with Israeli entity on the island of Abd al-Kuri, along with intelligence and surveillance centers, and has controlled all essential services on the archipelago through its affiliated companies.

YPA