Putin Meets Leaders of Saudi Arabia and UAE

Syria and Fight against ISIL on Top of Agenda

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with Saudi Arabia Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman (top photo) and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (above) in Sochi, Russia; 11 October 2015 (President of Russia @KremlinRussia)

22 UAE Soldiers Killed in Yemen

UPDATE: The death toll has rises to 45 

Twenty-two UAE soldiers were killed during an explosion in a camp near the Yemeni city of Mareb. The Houthis told Reuters they had fired a missile at a weapons cache in the camp used by the Arab coalition forces. UAE's The National reports the explosion at the arms depot was caused by a fire that led to the violent explosions. A number of Apache helicopters and vehicles were also destroyed. Residents of Mareb told Reuters they saw fire raging at the camp and plumes of smoke.

Before the latest incident, at least 5 Emirati soldiers had been killed in Yemen since their offensive to retake territories captured by the Houthis began earlier this year.

The UAE and Saudi-led forces are preparing an offensive to break the siege of Mareb by the Houthi/Saleh forces. The strategic city is in the center of the country. It lies 200 km (125 miles) to the east of the capital Sanaa, with a major highway running through it, connecting the capital to points east.

UPDATE: The death toll has rises to 45 after 23 more soldiers succumb to injuries, Gulf News reported.

Photo credit: Smoke plumes seen in Mareb after the incident  (Asia News and World Report)

Heavy Fighting in Yemen

Reports appearing in social media this morning indicate the UAE-led Yemeni resistance forces are on the move westward on Hwy N5 and are reaching Mareb (photo above).

A Twitter report says the UAE-led force, with Saudi helicopter air support, had entered Hadramaut’s town of Al Abr, in central-eastern Yemen, before heading west toward Mareb. If the report is confirmed, the offensive forces could have crossed into Yemen’s Hadramaut from Saudi border crossing of Al Wudaydah, traveling more than 300 km (nearly 200 miles) on roads through Hadramaut desert to reach Mareb. In fact, a Twitter post said a large force was rumored to cross Al Wudaydah toward Mareb. (Twitter/@omeisy, 22 August)

There were no reports of fighting and resistance by Houthi/Saleh forces against the offensive force reaching Mareb. Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, lies 200 km (125 miles) to the west of Mareb on N5 Hwy, a major road that can support Arab coalition’s heavy military equipment. The offensive could be the initial phase of the retaking of Sanaa by the Arab coalition-led forces.

Meanwhile, there are reports of heavy Houthi artillery fire at Southern Resistance positions inside the city of Taiz and Saudi airstrikes against Houthi position around the city, causing heavy casualties. The Houthis have been attempting to recapture Taiz, 330 km (205 miles) south of Sanaa. The resistance forces last week took control of the city and its Republic palace.

Social media also are publishing photos of Saudi commandoes disembarking from helicopters in Saada province, reportedly attacking Raghat Mountain hiding place of Houthi chief Abdul Malik Al Houthi.

UPDATE: AP quoting security officials reported Saturday night that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants have seized control of key areas in and around Aden. If confirmed, this would a major gain for AQAP, which has been making inroads amid chaos of the country’s civil war.

Photo credit: A twitter photo showing a UAE-led column of anti-Houthi fighters near Mareb, 125 miles east of Sanaa (Twitter/@Yemen_Updates, 22 August)

Yemen: Pro-Government Resistance Forces in Taiz

Third Largest City and Gateway to Sanaa

UAE-backed Popular Resistance forces captured a mountaintop citadel and an intelligence headquarters and have fought their way deep into the central city of Taiz on Sunday, largely pushing out Houthi insurgents out of the city. The resistance forces captured the headquarters of the Taiz Province’s government building on Saturday. Taiz is Yemen’s largest city and is considered as a gateway to Sanaa, the capital.

The Battle of Taiz started in April with Saudi-led warplanes striking the Houthi positions in the city, leading to the advance of the resistance forces, backed by the UAE armor and ground forces, into the city to push out the Houthis.

Photo credit: Southern Resistance forces in Taiz city; 15 August 2015 (Aljazeera)

Yemen Pro-Government Forces Retake Zinjibar

UAE-led pro-government forces today recaptured Yemeni southern provincial capital of Zinjabar from the Houthi insurgents and their allies. Zinjibar had been held by troops of the 15^th Brigade that remained loyal to the deposed president Saleh who is allied with the Houthis.

Troops entered the coastal towm, 50 kilimeters (30 miles) east of Aden, after overrunning the brigade’s barracks outside with support from Saudi-led airstrikes, AFP reported today.

Zinjibar is the third southern provincial capital to be recaptured by pro-government forces. They secured Aden in mid-July and Lahj provincial capital of Huta on 4 August. Pro-government forces have also retaken Al Anad airbase, Yemen's largest military base.

Photo credit: UAE-led pro-government forces advancing toward Zinjibar (Reuters)

Yemen: Pro-Government Forces Launch Offensive to Seize Zinjibar

UAE-led government forces launched an offensive on the Houthi-held Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province in south Yemen. The BBC reports that pro-government troops, using tanks and other heavy equipment, were attacking the city from the north and south.

The fall of city would deal another blow to the Houthis after they lost Aden and Al Anad airbase, Yemen’s largest military base.

The UAE official news agency WAM said today that three Emirati soldiers were killed in action fighting the Houthis.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Ministry of Defense said today that Egyptian soldiers are part of  the Arab coalition against the Houthis. The Yemenis are saying that Egyptian troops arrived in Aden this week and are part of a 5,000-strong ground troop force led by the Emiratis and Saudis

File photo: Yemeni pro-government fighters at Al Anad airbase; 5 August 2015 (Saleh Al-Obaidi/AFP)

Arab Coalition-led Fighters Recapture Al-Anad Military Base, Yemen’s Largest

Pro-government Popular Resistance fighters, supported by UAE armored units and troops and Saudi-led airstrikes, recaptured Al-Anad airbase, the country largest military base, after heavy combat with Houthi insurgents who had taken the base earlier this year, Reuters quoting a government commander, reported today.

“The national army and the Popular Resistance have completed control of Al-Anad military and air base,” said Brig. Gen. Fadel Hassan. (Reuters/Arab News, 3 August)  

The recapture of Al-Anad provides a strategic base of operation for the Arab coalition and opens up the road north to the city of Taiz, Yemen’s third largest, where Houthi insurgents and pro-government fighters have been locked in combat.

Earlier today, images posted on the Twitter showed a column of UAE’s LeClerc main battle tanks and BMP armored vehicles, including M-ATVs, deployed in a port in Aden and heading toward Al-Anad. There were also reports of 3,000 Arab coalitions troops deployed in Aden today.

Photo credit: Image posted on Twitter showing a column of UAE tanks heading toward Al-Anad military base after being deployed in a port in Aden (Twitter/@saikhamk, 3 August)

Arab Coalition Deploys 3,000 Troops in Yemen

The Arab coalition has deployed 3,000 troops and battle tanks in Aden, Defense News reported. Images posted on Twitter in the past 24 hours show UAE’s LeClerc main battle tanks and BMP armored vehicle, including M-ATVs, being offloaded on to a port in Aden. Images also show UAE armor units reportedly on their way to Al Anad air base, north of Aden. The Arab coalition-led Popular Resistance forces have surrounded Al Anad for the past week and with the arrival of UAE armored units could now move to capture the strategic airbase, Yemen’s largest.

Photo credit: Twitter images of UAE tanks and armored vehicles deployed in Yemen (Twitter/@saikhamk, 3 August)

Arab Coalition Announces 5-Day Yemen Truce

Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces fighting the Houthi insurgents in Yemen have declared a five-day humanitarian cease-fire effective midnight Sunday. The truce is meant to allow the delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance, a coalition spokesperson said. Since coalition forces recaptured Aden, Saudis and Emiratis have flown relief goods and medical supplies to the city. Coalition forces have continued attacks on Houthi positions in Taiz and Sanaa. (Arab News, 25 July)

Photo credit: A Saudi military cargo plane at Aden International Airport; Friday 24 July 2015 (Faisal Al Nasser/Reuters/Arab News)

Changing Dynamics of Yemeni Conflict



The loss of the strategic port of Aden by the Houthis in the space of just a few days is a spectacular manifestation that the tide of Yemen’s war has unexpectedly turned, handing a morale boost and possibly military momentum to Gulf Arab-led coalition, Reuters reported today.

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political scientist in the UAE, told Reuters that Gulf Arab states saw Yemen as “proving ground” for their “resolve to confront Tehran,” and last week’s capture of Aden proved they “could hold their own.”

“We are ready to defend our turf,” Abdulla added. (Reuters, 23 July)

Meanwhile, diplomats and Yemeni politicians tell Reuters that representatives of former president Saleh, whose army loyalists laid siege to Aden in alliance with the Houthis in March and April, are negotiating with diplomats from the UAE in Oman. If successful, the development could change the dynamic of the conflict in Yemen against the Houthis and in favor of Gulf Arab-backed resistance and pro-government forces.

Photo credit: A Saudi military cargo plane at Aden International Airport; 22 July 2015 (Al Arabiya)

Anti-Houthi Forces Advance after Retaking Majority of Aden

Saudi-UAE-backed Southern Resistance Forces, loyal to exiled Yemeni President Hadi, today seized Al-Anad military base, Yemen’s largest air base, in Lahj province, 60 km (35 miles) north of Aden, Al Arabiya reported.

The advance comes after pro-Hadi forces captured most of Aden on Friday and began clearing operation in the northern and eastern entrances to the city where pockets of fighting were reported between resistance forces and the Houthis. On Saturday, Hadi government-in-exile announced the liberation of Aden, with some ministers arriving in the city to prepare the return of the entire government to resume its work in Aden.

A Saudi advisor told the BBC on Sunday that the “liberation of Aden” is completed and the next military objective would be retaking the city of Taiz. The Saudi advisor added that the capture of Aden was the culmination of a 10-week long plan involving air, sea and land forces, using Arab coalition-led Yemeni fighters trained in Saudi Arabia.

On Saturday, the UAE confirmed the presence of its troops in Aden. UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Rashid offered condolences to the family of Lieutenant Abdul Aziz Sarhan Saleh who was killed in action during the military operation in Yemen, Emirates 24/7 reported.

Reports in social media had previously pointed to UAE’s active participation in the military operation in Aden. The official coverage given to the death of Lt. Saleh is a confirmation of UAE’s key role in recapturing of Aden.

UPDATE: Houthi insurgents shelled positions in Aden on Sunday, killing and wounding scores of people, news agencies including UPI and BBC reported. A majority of the city is under control of Saudi/Emirati-backed fighters. Meanwhile, a pro-Hadi Yemeni military official said the shells were fired from a Huthi stronghold six miles outside the city.

UPDATE: Overnight, pro-government forces faild to capture the last remaining Houthi stronghold in Aden – the Tawahi peninsula in the south, BBC reported on Sunday.

Photo credit: Southern Resistance fighters loyal to Yemeni President Hadi seen on the streets of Aden, 18 July 2015 (Reuters/BBC) 

Exiled Yemen Ministers Return to Aden – Houthis Retreat

Yemeni exiled ministers today started returning to Aden after southern resiatance forces loyal to exiled president Hadi and backed by the Saudi-UAE-led coalition pushed Houthis and their allied forces out from most parts of Aden. The returnees included ministers of interior, health, transport, and the intelligence chief.

“Abd Rabuuh Mansur Hadi (the exiled president) delegated this group to return to Aden to work to prepare the security situation and ensure stability ahead of a revival of the institutions of state in Aden,” a Yemeni official said tonight. (Reuters, 16 July)

The statement seems to indicate the Hadi and his government could soon relocate to Aden. Such move would be a major development in the conflict that began when the Huthis stormed Sanaa last September. The ministers who returned today arrived by helicopter at a military base in Aden.

“Most parts of the city are secure,” added the Yemeni official.

General Fadhl al-Hasan, commander of pro-government forces loyal to Hadi in western Aden, told AFP that his troops have captured the coastal road overlooking the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. He added, “the majority of the security leadership are in Aden and they are leading the battles… others will soon arrive.” (AFP/middleeast eye.net, 16 July)

Major neighborhoods of Crater and Mualla were among the parts captured by pro-Hadi forces today. On Tuesday, they captured the strategic Aden International Airport and much of the surrounding Khormaksar diplomatic district. Fighting in some parts of the city still continued, but major Houthi forces retreated from Aden.

“After the recapture of Khormaksar, there was a collapse in the ranks of the Huthis and their allies,” troops loyal to president Hadi told AFP.

Photo credit: Southern resistance fighters loyal to Yemeni President Hadi stand at the entrance to Aden International Airport; 14 July 2015 (Reuters) 

UAE: Political Solution in Yemen Possible without Iran

‘Issue in Arab-Iran Relations is Iran’s Desire for Expansion’

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash said today a political solution in Yemen “is possible without Iran.” Gargash made the comments during an interview on Sunday with Sky News Arabia.

Gargash added that presence of Hezbollah-like militias in Southern Arabian Peninsula is not acceptable, and that the Huthis could be part of the political process based on their real size and not on their arms.

On the upcoming summit at Camp David, Gargash said, “The GCC leaders will demand a political commitment from the United States that guarantees that the results of its (nuclear) agreement with Iran will ensure that Iran’s policy will be less expansionist and will respect its Arab neighbors.”

“The major issue in Arab-Iran relations is Iran’s desire for expansion,” Minister Gargash said. (mofa.gov.ae)

“The nuclear agreement between the West and Iran created a new dynamic… Indications say it is not in the interests of moderate Iranians,” he said, adding that the nuclear agreement will help Iran’s expansion at the expense of Arabs.

Photo credit: UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash during an interview with Sky News Arabia; 10 May 2015 (mofa.gov.ae)

Egypt Signs Agreement with UAE to Build New Capital East of Cairo

Egypt signed an agreement on Saturday worth $45 billion with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to build the country’s new capital. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and UAE Vice President and the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Makhtoum witnessed the signing of the agreement in the Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. (Xinhua, 14 March)

The new 70,000-acre capital will be established to the east of Cairo. The first phase involves construction of a downtown city, office towers and hotels along with commercial areas and a stadium. Other parts of the city will house the presidential palace, government ministries and diplomatic missions, as well a large exposition complex.

Photo credit (top): Model of Egypt’s proposed new capital east of Cairo (Xinhua/Twitter)
Map credit: RT.com

UAE: Top American Partner in Arab World

The Washington Post’s Rajiv Chandrasekaran on Sunday wrote a piece on UAE’s Al-Dhafra Air Base. The vast desert airfield hosts U.S. fighter jets, which night after night for the past six weeks have taken off heading north on bombing runs over Iraq and Syria.

The Pentagon does not publicly acknowledge the American presence at Al-Dhafra, but the twin-runway airfield has become a vital part of U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State.

On many nights, the U.S. planes are accompanied by a wave of F-16 Fighting Falcons operated by the UAE’s air force, Chandrasekaran reports. The UAE has indeed become America’s closest ally in the fight against ISIL.

“The UAE has gone all in,” said retired General Anthony Zinni, a former CENTCOM commander. “It’s the strongest relationship that the United States has in the Arab world today.” (The Washington Post, 9 November)

Shared concerns over the rise of militant Islam and Iran’s regional policies and nuclear program are likely to be the foundation of the growing U.S.-UAE relationship.

File photo: Emblem of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing (380 AEW), attached to U.S. Air Force Central (AFCENT) stationed at Al-Dhafar Air Base, the UAE.

Airstrikes Destroy ISIL Refineries

Warplanes from the United States, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Thursday attacked the majority of the Islamic State’s oil refineries in Syria. The Pentagon said the airstrikes were part of the continuing effort to target sources of the group’s financing.

The strikes on Thursday, the third day of U.S.-led air campaign in Syria, hit 12 small refineries in the eastern Deir al-Zour and Hasakah provinces. Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that the attacks had crippled the plants.

The airstrikes in Syria have so far targeted the command and control structures and the revenue sources of the Islamic State.

Top photo: UAE Air Force F-16E Block 60 (Photo: General Dynamics)

Bottom photo: Major Mariam al-Mansouri of UAE Air Force piloting an F-16E in airstrikes over Syria. Major Mansouri, 35, is UAE’s first female air force pilot. (Photo: UAE Air Force)

UAE Bombed Islamist Targets in Libya

Emirati Fighter Jets Used Bases in Egypt

UAE warplanes bombed Islamist militia targets in Libya, as turmoil in the country deepened with the Islamists naming a rival premier. U.S. officials said on Monday that the United Arab Emirates jets launched two attacks in seven days on the Islamists in Tripoli using bases in Egypt. An Emirati official told AFP only that his country had “no reaction” to the report, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri yesterday denied any “direct” role by his country. (Kuwait Times, 26 August)

The United States did not take part or provide any assistance in the bombing raids, said U.S. officials. UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been supporting a renegade general’s campaign against Libyan militant groups. The bombing raids were first reported by the New York Times.

The first strikes, on Monday 18 August, hit militia targets in Tripoli, including a weapons depot. A second round south of the city early Saturday targeted rocket launchers, military vehicles and a warehouse. (The New York Times/Kuwait Times)

File photo: UAEAF F-16E Desert Falcon. (Lockheed Martin/Wikipedia)

Iran-UAE Trade at $9.7 Billion in 9 Months

The volume of non-oil trade between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached $9.7 billion during the first three quarters of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, 2013. (albawaba, 6 January)

According to the latest data released by the Iranian Customs Administration, Iran imported $7 billion worth of non-oil products from the UAE, while exporting $2.7 billion to the Emirates during the nine-month period. UAE was Iran’s second largest trading partner after China.

File photo, port traffic at Dubai: Arabian News

Iran, UAE Close to Deal on Three Islands - Report

Defense News reported today that Iran and the United Arab Emirates are close to reaching a deal on the three islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs. Both countries maintain historical claim over the islands, strategically situated at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, close to the Strait of Hormuz

The islands came under the Iranian control upon the departure of the British from the Gulf in 1971. Then the Shah’s government agreed to drop Iran’s long-standing claim over Bahrain in return for the islands. A memorandum of understanding was agreed upon by Iran, the British, and the Trucial States, which included the present-day UAE. Iran occupied the islands two days prior to the British departure from the Gulf.

The Emiratis claim that the agreement with the British was signed before the formation of their country and hence not valid. On Abu Musa, the agreement called for joint administration of the island with Sharjah, now part of UAE. But Iran has been administering the island on its own.  

Defense News, referencing sources close to the negotiations, reports that a deal for the return of the islands to the UAE was laid out during the recent visit of UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah to Tehran, and a response was presented during last week’s return visit by his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif.

Theodore Karasik, director of research and development at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), said the two countries are on the verge of a breakthrough.

“Sheikh Abdullah’s visit to Tehran focused on the islands issue, and the Iranian side reacted positively,” Karasik said. “Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif quickly came to Abu Dhabi to meet with (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and meet with other senior leaders to further cement a workable agreement for the transfer of the islands to the UAE while Iran retains the seabed rights.” (Defense News, 10 December)

However, Zarif has publicly insisted that Iran is only ready to discuss “misunderstandings” surrounding the implementation of 1971 memorandum of understanding over Abu Musa. Some hardline politicians in Iran though have started accusing Zarif of betraying his country without mentioning the three islands. UAE’s Sheikh Khalifa is invited to visit Iran. It is expected that the visit would only take place if an important announcement on the three islands were planned.

To read Defense News article, please click here.

File photo: The three islands and the Persian Gulf. (U.S. Library of Congress/VOA)  

Iran FM in UAE

Reaching Out to Gulf States

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif today arrived in the United Arab Emirates as part of a charm offensive to improve the strained relations with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Zarif has already visited Kuwait, Qatar and Oman during his current Gulf tour.

“Iran is taking advantage of the interim (Geneva) agreement to make inroads into the GCC to resolve outstanding issues,” said Theodore Karasik, a security and political affairs analyst at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis – INEGMA. (AP, 4 December)

In UAE today, Zarif held talks with Emirati President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in his palace in desert oasis city of Al Ain and met with the Ruler of Dubai and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum in the bustlng commercial hub of Dubai.

During the meetings, the Emirati leaders welcomed the signing of the interim Geneva Iran accord. The two sides were also expected to have reviewed the issue of the three islands, especially Abu Musa, which is under the Iranian control but claimed by both countries.

Photo credit: UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. December 4, 2013. (WAM/Associated Press)