**Abu Dhabi, UAE** - In a significant development that underscores deepening fissures within the Saudi-led coalition, the United Arab Emirates has announced the withdrawal of its remaining military personnel from Yemen. The move, officially framed as a termination of counterterrorism operations, follows a period of escalating friction with Saudi Arabia over the UAE's alleged backing of separatist factions within the war-torn nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed the departure of its forces, stating it was an independent decision driven by evolving circumstances and their potential impact on the efficacy of counterterrorism missions. This withdrawal, reportedly initiated within 24 hours of a demand for troop removal from the Yemeni Presidential Council, marks a symbolic end to the UAE's six-year military engagement in Yemen, a conflict where it had been a principal partner to Saudi Arabia in its intervention against the Houthi movement.
The disengagement comes amidst a backdrop of increasingly overt discord between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has publicly accused the UAE of actively encouraging the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group seeking autonomy for southern Yemen, to launch offensives against Saudi-backed government forces. Riyadh contends that these actions, particularly the STC's recent advances into the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and al-Mahra, constitute a direct threat to the Kingdom's national security interests.
This strategic divergence has manifested in tangible military actions. The Saudi-led coalition recently conducted an airstrike on the port of Mukalla, a move that Riyadh reportedly characterized as targeting a weapons shipment destined for UAE-backed separatists. The STC, meanwhile, has been highly active on the ground, successfully seizing control of substantial territories across southern Yemen, thereby disrupting a protracted stalemate in the conflict.
The UAE's decision to extricate its forces, even if framed as a tactical redeployment of counterterrorism assets, is widely interpreted as a response to the growing geopolitical pressures and the escalating internal power struggles within Yemen. The alliance, forged to counter the Houthi insurgency, now appears strained by divergent strategic objectives and a lack of unified command and control over allied factions on the ground.
The implications of this withdrawal are multifaceted. It signals a potential recalibration of regional power dynamics and could embolden various Yemeni factions vying for influence. For Saudi Arabia, the departure of a key ally from its southern flank presents a significant challenge, forcing it to confront the fallout of internal coalition disputes while continuing its broader campaign. Riyadh has issued stern warnings, indicating its readiness to implement measures against actions it deems detrimental to its security, suggesting that the repercussions of this withdrawal may be felt far beyond Yemen's borders. The intricate web of alliances and rivalries within the Yemeni conflict has thus taken another dramatic turn, with the UAE's exit potentially reshaping the future trajectory of the protracted civil war.