The UAE Announces the Withdrawal of Its Forces from Yemen… But Who Stands Behind the Brigades and the Transitional Council?
An Emirati Announcement of Full Withdrawal Coincides with Political and Military Escalation in the South, Raising Questions About the Reality of Indirect Emirati Presence
NYN | News
The UAE Ministry of Defense announced the completion of the withdrawal of all its military forces from Yemen, according to the official news agency (WAM). The move came after a Saudi ultimatum granting Abu Dhabi 24 hours to leave Yemeni territory.
This announcement comes at a time when the Yemeni arena is witnessing an unprecedented escalation, with growing indications that Emirati influence continues through local proxies, despite talk of a direct military withdrawal.
A Declared Withdrawal and Saudi Pressure
According to the Emirati statement, the withdrawal process was fully completed as part of what Abu Dhabi described as the redeployment of its forces outside Yemen, following increasing Saudi pressure amid disputes between the two sides over the management of the Yemeni file.
Field and Political Escalation in the South
On the ground, escalation has not subsided; rather, it has continued at an accelerated pace. The Southern Transitional Council announced what it called a “constitutional declaration” and set a date for holding a referendum on the secession of southern Yemen— a move described as escalatory and dangerous to the country’s unity.
The Transitional Council: A Yemeni Faction or an Emirati Arm?
These developments have raised widespread questions in political and media circles about the true nature of the Southern Transitional Council—whether it is a Yemeni faction pursuing a separatist project, or whether it has become an armed formation operating under direct guidance and funding from Abu Dhabi, particularly given the continuation of its military and political moves despite the Emirati withdrawal announcement.
A Symbolic Withdrawal or a Redeployment?
Observers believe that the withdrawal announcement may be merely symbolic, given the continued presence of UAE-aligned armed brigades and the persistence of Abu Dhabi’s political and military influence through its local allies—strengthening the hypothesis of a “redeployment” rather than a genuine withdrawal.
