UAE official says redistribution of troops in Yemen is for ‘tactical reasons’

An official from the United Arab Emirates has said that that they have begun a plan regarding the redistribution of its troops in Yemen for “strategic and tactical” reasons and that the move was coordinated with coalition partner Saudi Arabia.

The agency quoted the official as saying the UAE was moving from “military first strategy to a peace first strategy.”

“Our discussion over our redeployment has been ongoing for over a year and it has been heightened after the signing of the Stockholm agreement in December,” the official told reporters in Dubai according to Reuters.

“It makes a lot of sense for us to redeploy away from Hodeidah. By connection, Assab in Eritrea has also been affected because it was a staging ground for our operations in Hodeidah,” the official said, adding that troop movements in other areas of Yemen are “tactical and based on our needs.”

UAE-based newspaper The National said the Emirati official did not provide details regarding the redistribution of troops in Yemen but said that their troop numbers were “definitely down” and there had been a movement of equipment.

Asked by Reuters regarding the UAE’s decision to redistribute troops, the spokesman for the Arab Coalition said member countries played different roles and contributed whatever capabilities they could.

“The United Arab Emirates... and the coalition countries continue to achieve their operational and strategic goals and reach the final status of restoring the legitimate Yemeni government,” Col. Turki al-Maliki said.