Yemen Claims Separatists Land on One of Its Islands

Sanaa says the United Arab Emirates has landed Yemeni separatists on Socotra, the largest island in an archipelago Yemen controls in the Arabian Sea. The UAE, which is part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control Yemen’s main population centers, denies the claim. According to Reuters, sources from Yemen’s government in exile said on Wednesday that the separatists – all trained soldiers – had landed on Socotra on Monday while wearing civilian clothing and were part of a group of about 300 separatists the UAE had been training. According to the news agency, Yemen Interior Minister Ahmed al-Mayssari, speaking on Yemeni television, was critical of the move. “I think our partnership with the coalition is the war against the Houthis and not sharing the administrations of the liberated territories,” he said. The alleged landings highlight existing tensions between the UAE and Yemen’s internationally recognized government over southern separatists.