UAE serviceman dies in vehicle accident in Yemen

An Emirati serviceman participating in the United Arab Emirates’ mission in Yemen was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in overturned on Saturday, official news agency WAM reported.

The general command of the UAE armed forces confirmed that the soldier was participating in the Saudi-led Arab coalition’s ‘Operation Restoring Hope’ in Yemen.

The UAE and other Arab countries have seen casualty numbers grow in recent months as they intensify their offensive against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In September, at least 50 soldiers from the UAE, 10 from Saudi Arabia, five from Bahrain and four from Yemen were killed after a Houthi rocket hit an ammunition depot in Yemen’s Marib province.

More recently, coordinated attacks by militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Levant killed almost 22 people including four UAE soldiers in Yemen.

Despite incurring heavy casualties, the UAE has reiterated that it will continue its operations in Yemen.

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said recent attacks have made the country’s armed forces more determined to ‘liberate’ Yemen and that they will not give up until the country is free from rebel forces.

The Saudi-led coalition began conducting air strikes against Houthi rebels in March in a bid to restore Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government in the country.

In addition, the coalition has also provided material and military support to factions within the country fighting the Houthis.

The UAE’s military forces have particularly played an important role in securing the port city of Aden, facilitating aid ships to come into Yemen and commercial flights to take off from Aden’s airport.