A military base of the Saudi forces in Socotra, on the eastern coast of Yemen, exposed on Sunday, to a new siege by pro- UAE factions.
Exclusive-Alkhabar alymeni:
This coincides with escalating tension between the two allies in the strategic region in the east of the country, which has been under war and siege for eight years.
Tribal sources on the island, located at the intersection of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, reported that the Emirati forces on the island directed their affiliated factions to carry out an extensive deployment around the island’s airport, which the Saudi forces take as an advanced base for them in the Arabian Sea, noting that UAE factions established checkpoints and stationed themselves in the neighborhoods surrounding the airport.
The deployment in the vicinity of the Saudi base coincided with the inauguration campaign to raise UAE flag in all cities of Socotra, most notably the city of Hadibu, the administrative center of the island.
The motives of the Emirati move were not clear, and whether it was in anticipation of a Saudi withdrawal, especially in light of reports about the Saudi Navy handing over the command of the joint forces in the Arabian Sea to British forces as part of efforts to reduce tension with Iran, or in response to the expulsion of Emirati forces from its most important bases in Al-Rayyan in Hadhramaut. However, the coincidence of the Emirati move with similar movements in Shabwah reflects existing tension between the allies of the war on Yemen, according to observers.
