The United Arab Emirates has strongly denied any involvement in actions that could threaten Saudi Arabia’s security, rejecting accusations that it played a role in supporting southern separatists in Yemen.
In a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry, the UAE said it “categorically rejects any attempt to implicate it in the tensions between Yemeni parties” and condemned allegations that it pressured or directed any Yemeni group to carry out military operations that could endanger the security of the Saudi Arabia.
“The United Arab Emirates affirms its constant commitment to the security and stability of the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its full respect for its sovereignty and national security, and its rejection of any actions that could threaten the Kingdom’s security or that of the region,” the statement said.
The response followed air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen’s port city of Mukalla, which the coalition said targeted foreign military support to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful separatist group in southern Yemen.
Amid the escalating tensions, Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the cancellation of a joint defence agreement with the UAE and ordered Emirati forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours. He also declared an air, land and sea blockade on ports and crossings for 72 hours.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry warned that actions attributed to the UAE were “extremely dangerous” and could undermine security efforts in Yemen, as diplomatic efforts continue to defuse the growing rift within the coalition. (Newswire)