UAE withdraws remaining forces from Yemen as tensions escalate in the south
AXADLE, Somalia — The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it is ending its remaining military presence in Yemen, citing heightened security risks and shifting political and military dynamics in the country’s south.
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In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the decision was taken in light of “recent developments and their potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism tasks.” The ministry said the exit would be voluntary and coordinated with relevant partners to ensure the safety of Emirati personnel.
The move came hours after a rapid series of escalations by Yemen’s leadership aimed squarely at Abu Dhabi’s footprint in the country. Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, cancelled a joint defence agreement with the UAE and issued a 24-hour deadline for Emirati forces to withdraw.
Al-Alimi subsequently declared a 90-day state of emergency and ordered a 72-hour suspension of air and land movement across all ports and border crossings, further tightening controls as authorities in the south faced a fast-shifting security picture.
Tensions deepened as the Saudi-led coalition conducted what it described as a “limited” airstrike at the port of Mukalla targeting two ships linked to the UAE. Details of damage and casualties were not immediately available. The strike underscored rifts inside the coalition and the growing volatility around key maritime and logistics hubs in eastern Yemen.
The UAE announcement also follows battlefield changes in the south and east. Earlier this month, forces aligned with the Southern Transitional Council, a group backed by the UAE, took control of the eastern provinces of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra after clashes with government troops. That reshaped power on the ground and set the stage for the current political rupture.
While the UAE framed the withdrawal as a force-protection measure and an adjustment to evolving risks, the decision marks a notable recalibration of its role in Yemen. It leaves open immediate questions about coordination on counterterrorism, security management at critical ports, and how competing authorities will manage the vacuum left by Emirati troops in contested areas.
- The UAE Defence Ministry cited safety concerns and “recent developments” in announcing a full withdrawal.
- Yemen’s presidential council chair, Rashad al-Alimi, cancelled a joint defence pact with the UAE and issued a 24-hour exit deadline for Emirati forces.
- A 90-day state of emergency is in effect, alongside a 72-hour suspension of air and land movement at ports and border crossings.
- The Saudi-led coalition said it carried out a “limited” airstrike at Mukalla targeting two UAE-linked vessels.
- UAE-backed STC forces earlier took control of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra after clashes with government troops.
The Emirates’ drawdown underscores the depth of Yemen’s political fragmentation and the perils of overlapping security agendas in the south and east. It also highlights the fragility of military coalitions when local power centers shift, and when central authorities respond with emergency decrees and hard deadlines.
With movement restricted at border points and air and sea corridors, and with coalition partners at odds, the risk of miscalculation is rising. For residents in the south, the immediate impact is likely to be felt in tighter controls on travel and trade, while on the political front, rival forces will be tested by the absence of an external actor that had been a key patron and security player.
For now, the UAE says its withdrawal will proceed in coordination with partners and with an emphasis on troop safety. How quickly that exit unfolds—and what, if anything, replaces it—will shape the next phase of Yemen’s conflict in the south.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
