Khaberni - The spokesman for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, announced today (Tuesday) new clarifications regarding what was stated in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement.
Al-Maliki wrote in posts on his account on «X»: The two ships entered the port of Mukalla violating the procedures usually followed in such cases, without entry permission from the Yemeni government or the coalition command. They also turned off the tracking and identification device before entering Yemeni territorial waters. Al-Maliki explained that during the entry of the ships, the port was closed, all local workers and employees were evacuated, and after the ships' arrival, it was revealed that they were carrying more than (80) vehicles, in addition to several containers loaded with weapons and ammunition.
The spokesman for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy said: After documenting the arrival and unloading processes, high-level officials in the UAE were informed to prevent the departure of this support from the port of Mukalla to avoid it reaching conflict zones.
He added: Despite what they were told, the Emirati side, without informing the Kingdom, transported the vehicles and containers to the Al-Rayyan base, where no more than (10) Emirati elements were present, along with forces involved in the escalation.
Al-Maliki pointed out that the Emirati side was informed that such escalatory practices intended to fuel the conflict were unacceptable and that the vehicles must be returned to the port, and the vehicles were returned to the port while keeping the weapons containers at the Al-Rayyan base. During this period, confirmed information was available to the coalition forces' command that they will be moved and distributed to several locations in Wadi and the Desert of Hadhramaut, which will cause an increase in escalation.
He noted that before dawn today, and out of concern from the coalition command to avoid casualties or affecting public properties, a limited military operation was carried out in a manner that ensures the safety of lives and facilities at the port, after applying the rules of engagement, and the coalition command confirms that the remaining containers are still at the Al-Rayyan base as of this timing.
