DUBAI,
United Arab Emirates has rejected allegations that it operates secret detention facilities in southern Yemen, describing the claims as politically motivated and warning they risk deepening divisions among Gulf allies involved in the conflict.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the UAE defence ministry said the accusations were “deliberate fabrications” and a “blatant attempt to advance political agendas at the expense of truth”. The comments followed claims by Saudi-backed Yemeni officials that Emirati forces had run undisclosed prisons in areas under their influence.
The allegations surfaced on Monday in Yemen’s Hadramawt province, shortly after clashes between forces aligned with the UAE and those backed by Saudi Arabia. The confrontations preceded Abu Dhabi’s decision to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen, marking a new phase in a conflict that has increasingly exposed fractures within the coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE entered Yemen’s war together in 2015, leading a regional military campaign aimed at restoring the country’s internationally recognised government. While initially united, the two Gulf powers have since pursued diverging strategies in the south, gradually backing rival political and military factions.
Saudi Arabia has focused on maintaining the authority of the central government and securing its southern border, while the UAE has cultivated close ties with southern separatist groups seeking greater autonomy. Abu Dhabi has also supported local forces involved in counterterrorism operations and coastal security, giving it lasting influence even after announcing a partial troop withdrawal in 2019.
These competing interests have at times led to direct confrontations between Saudi-backed government forces and UAE-aligned militias. Tensions sharpened further last month when UAE-backed separatists advanced in parts of Hadramawt and neighbouring Mahra province, only to be pushed back by Saudi air strikes and allied ground forces.
On Monday, Hadramawt’s governor told foreign journalists invited by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government that “a number of secret prisons used by Emirati forces” had been uncovered in the province. The comments were widely reported and quickly drew a response from Abu Dhabi.
The UAE defence ministry dismissed the allegations, saying the sites referenced were standard military facilities, including accommodation for troops, operations rooms and fortified shelters, some of which were built underground for defensive reasons.
“The attempt to implicate the United Arab Emirates in such allegations raises serious questions about the true motives and parties behind the promotion of these falsehoods,” the ministry said.
As Saudi Arabia moves to consolidate control over government-held areas in southern Yemen, large parts of the country, including regions home to most of the population, remain under the control of the Houthi movement. Analysts say the latest dispute underscores how regional competition, layered onto an already complex civil war, continues to shape alliances and fuel instability in Yemen.
