UAE soldier killed in Yemen

An Emirati soldier was killed in Yemen while taking part in the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis and allied militias loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Emirati armed forces announced yesterday.

The exact cause of Zakariya Suleiman Al-Zaabi’s death was not announced.”The news came as a shock to us. His brothers and sisters are in tears and our mother took the news hard as well,” Abdulmaid Al-Zaabi, the brother of Zakariya told local media.Since his death, Al-Zaabi has been hailed by media outlets from the Gulf Arab states who described him as a “nationalist” and “a man who has never feared death”.

His family last saw him two weeks ago before he left for Yemen.

‘War is over for Emirati troops’

After the death of over 80 Emirati troops in Yemen, the UAE Crown Prince last June said that the Emirates plans to withdraw all of its troops from Yemen.

“Our standpoint today is clear: war is over for our troops; we’re monitoring political arrangements, empowering Yemenis in liberated areas”

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) June 15, 2016

However, this has not been actualised.