For the past 40 months, an international coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been acting on foot of a series of resolutions from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to restore the legitimate government of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi in Yemen and to end the reign of terror wrought by Al Houthi rebels and other groups such as Al Qaida and Daesh there. The Armed Forces of the UAE are playing a key role in the international coalition, working on the ground in difficult conditions to restore peace and stability to our Arab brothers, to help build a better future for Yemen.
The mission in Yemen is a taxing one, requiring no let-up in facing down the threats posed by Al Houthis. At the same time, terrorist groups such as Al Qaida and Daesh are all too ready to take advantage of any vacuum on the ground to further their murderous agendas. Added to this, a difficult and challenging humanitarian mission must also be undertaken, one that goes hand in hand with restoring and developing a lasting infrastructure. And the UAE too must ensure that the people of Yemen will be able to endure in the long-term, serviced by professional police and security forces that are now being trained and assisted by the UAE Armed Forces.
The mission in Yemen is one that is testing the full range of roles for our nation’s Armed Forces. Throughout though, the dedication to duty and professionalism of the men and women who wear the green, white, red and black flash on their shoulders has shone through — and already a number of them have become martyrs for the noble cause of restoring peace and stability to the people of Yemen.
While critics abroad are sometimes too willing to voice criticism of the mission, they knowingly and deliberately omit the essential fact that the international coalition working on the ground and in the air does so with the full support of UNSC — and all five veto nations plus other members gave their consent to the mission there.
The dedicated soldiers and officer cadre of the UAE’s Armed Forces continue to serve this nation proudly in fulfilling this UN mandate. Peace-making is a difficult mission, but our Armed Forces have embraced the task, knowing their perseverance, professionalism and dedication to duty and the job at hand will result in the peace and stability that our Arab brothers in Yemen deserve. We should never forget the debt of gratitude we owe our armed forces for their service.
