UAE rejects claims of secret prisons in Yemen
The United Arab Emirates has denied allegations that it operates secret prisons in southern Yemen. The claims came from Saudi-backed Yemeni officials and have heightened tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The UAE’s defence ministry described the accusations as fabrications intended to serve political agendas. Both countries have supported different factions in Yemen’s ongoing conflict.
What we know
- The UAE denied running secret prisons in southern Yemen after allegations from Saudi-backed Yemeni officials.
- The UAE defence ministry called the claims “deliberate fabrications” and said the facilities in question are military accommodation and shelters.
- Clashes between UAE- and Saudi-backed forces led Abu Dhabi to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen.
- The rivalry escalated after UAE-backed separatists advanced in Hadramawt and Mahra provinces but were pushed back by Saudi air strikes and ground forces.
- Saudi Arabia is now working to strengthen its control in government-controlled southern Yemen, while northern areas remain under Houthi control.
