UAE-backed forces bribe Yemen tribes for Al-Qaeda intel

UAE-backed forces, the Shabwani Elite Forces, have put forward bribes to Shabwa Governorate tribes to provide intelligence on Al-Qaeda personnel in Yemen, Aden Tomorrow reported.

The Shabwani Elite Forces distributed leaflets early this week calling on the residents of Al-Hutha not to provide sanctuary for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) personnel. The leaflet encourages tribes to provide information and location intel in return for financial rewards.

In a stark warning, Muhammad Salem Al-Bukahir Al-Qamishi, commander of the Shabwa Elite Forces, warned that if intelligence is not acquired within “72 hours”, anyone who sponsors AQAP, shelters or cooperates with them will be held responsible.

Read More: US-UAE Shabwa offensive is a quagmire for Yemen’s tribes

Yemen is enduring a humanitarian crisis in Yemen amid a Saudi-led blockade preventing crucial imports to the country.

Shabwa province has undergone a continued counter-terrorism operation since August alongside United States special forces.

The United Arab Emirates is a prominent partner in the Saudi-led coalition battling the Iranian-backed Houthi group which is currently in control of swathes of territory, including the capital Sana’a. The UAE is the only Arab country part of the coalition to have included counter-terrorism as a military objective in Yemen.