UAE leaders provided political and military umbrella enabling liberation of Yemen's Marib: Military commander

ABU DHABI, 8th November 2015 (WAM) --- An Arab Coalition military commander on Saturday said the leaders of the United Arab Emirates are credited with enabling the liberation of Yemen's central province of Marib, east of the capital Sana'a, from rebels by providing a political and military umbrella for the successful operation. Staff Brigadier Musallam Al Rashidi, Commander of Force to Liberate Marib, noted that the liberation of the strategic province, which lies close to the Yemeni capital and the Saudi border, comes at a crucial stage in the Arab Coalition's operations and will be followed by more stages that will eventually lead to the liberation of all of Yemen. The UAE military commander made his remarks in statements to welcome the first batch of the UAE Armed Forces who arrived home yesterday from Yemen after handing over responsibilities to a new batch of troops who have already begun their assigned missions in Yemen as part of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition's Operation Restoring Hope aimed at defending the legitimate government in Yemen. The commander praised His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for being in direct and continuous contact with the UAE personnel in Yemen and having confidence in them. He stressed that the UAE Armed Forces' participation in the Saudi-led Arab Coalition's military operation is crucial and is not a first as they previously took part in military missions in Kuwait, Somalia, Kosovo, Albania and Afghanistan. Praising the returning first batch of the UAE Armed Forces, the commander said he cannot thank them enough for holding fast in difficult combat situations and being focussed on their goal in Yemen. The batch of the UAE troops, he said, were highly professional and defeated the enemy and enabled Yemenis to return to their households and normal lives in the liberated province. The second batch of the UAE troops have already begun their mission in Yemen, the commander said, stressing that they will fulfil the demands of the next stage leading to the liberation of all of Yemen and the full reinstatement of legitimacy in the country. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395287676459.html