Saudi Arabia reveals massive Emirati funding for Tariq Saleh
ADEN, April 30 (YPA) – A Saudi committee has begun a formal process to restructure the forces affiliated with Tariq Saleh, which were originally formed with Emirati backing near the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Yemen’s western coast, media sources reported.
According to Ahmed al-Shalafi, editor for Yemeni affairs at Al Jazeera, Tariq Saleh, the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, has submitted operational and administrative records to the Saudi committee, including detailed data related to his forces.
The move is said to be part of a wider Saudi review aimed at reassessing troop numbers and aligning future financial support with verified force strength.
Furthermore, al-Shalafi stated that the restructuring plan would involve integrating Tariq Saleh’s forces into a new military framework. He indicated that these units may eventually come under the command structure of the Saudi-backed Dera al-Watan forces, with administrative and military oversight linked to Aden government’s Ministry of Defense.
In addition, he said the reorganization could include distributing Tariq Saleh-affiliated fighters into separate units, particularly after the appointment of new commanders in formations operating across Taiz and Tur al-Bahah axes.
The report also claimed that Riyadh issued a warning to Tariq Saleh against receiving direct financial support from the United Arab Emirates, especially following recent political and security developments in the eastern provinces of Hadramout and Mahra.
Meanwhile, al-Shalafi affirmed that Tariq Saleh informed Saudi officials that annual Emirati funding for his forces amounts to one billion Saudi riyals.
He further added that Riyadh recently allowed Saleh to visit family members in Abu Dhabi before later arranging residence for him in Riyadh.
Finally, the report stated that Saudi authorities are conducting biometric verification, including iris scans, within Saleh’s forces to determine actual personnel numbers.
Preliminary findings, according to the source, suggest that the number of active fighters may be lower than previously reported, which could lead to a reassessment of future Saudi funding.
AA