Abu Dhabi: The three Emirati soldiers who died while serving their country were laid to rest on Sunday.
His Highness Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, led the funeral prayers.
First Corporal Juma Jawhar Juma Al Hammadi, First Corporal Khalid Mohammad Abdullah Al Shehi, and First Corporal Fahim Saeed Ahmad Al Habsi lost their lives in Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen, an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
The prayers, which were held at Shaikh Zayed Mosque in Ras Al Khaimah, were also attended by Shaikh Khalid Bin Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Shaikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, and a number of other shaikhs, members of the armed forces, citizens and residents.
Earlier, a sombre military ceremony was held to mark the return of the bodies of the three Emirati martyrs which arrived at Al Bateen Airport on-board a military plane of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, accompanied by a number of Armed Forces officers.
Senior Armed Forces officers and non-commissioned officers held a special military ceremony at the airport to mark the return of the bodies.
Yesterday, the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces offered its sincere condolences and sympathies to the families of the three men.
The General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments has offered its sincerest sympathies to the UAE’s wise leadership, its armed forces, and its people, as well as to the families of the brave servicemen who lost their lives while serving their country.
Dr Mohammad Mattar Al Kaabi, Chairman of the authority, prayed to Allah to forever rest the souls of the martyrs in peace.
The Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Egypt’s top religious institute, Shaikh Ahmad Al Tayeb, offered his sincerest condolences to the UAE Government, leaders and people, on the martyrdom of the three Emirati servicemen.
“Al Azhar highly appreciates the honourable stand of UAE in service of the Arab and Islamic causes,” Al Tayeb said in a statement on Saturday.
Six Emirati servicemen have now lost their lives in the Saudi-led operation aimed at driving out Al Houthi rebels and restoring to power the internationally recognised government of president Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi.
In June, a non-commissioned officer, Hazim Obaid Al Ali, 40, died in Saudi Arabia during training exercises. Another serviceman, Saif Yousuf Ahmad Al Falasi, 35, a father of five from Dubai, and Lieutenant Abdul Aziz Sarhan Saleh Al Kaabi, from Al Ain, were killed on duty last month in Yemen.
Tributes poured in from across the country on Sunday for the three Emirati soldiers who died in Operation Restoring Hope.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, said in a post on Twitter: “You got the eyes to shed tears, but you held our heads high.”
Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted: “We pray to Almighty Allah to have mercy on our martyrs. May Allah pardon them and grant their families the patience and solace to bear this loss. They sacrificed their lives to keep our flag high and lofty.”
Members of the families of the three servicemen said they took pride in their sons’ martyrdom as they defended their country.