Saudi Arabia Sends More Reinforcements to Socotra

YemenExtra

M.A.

Saudi Arabia has dispatched additional military reinforcements to the island of Socotra, private sources said, YPA reported.

The sources noted that the Saudi forces military reinforcements have arrived to the island of Socotra in the past two days.

Saudi forces came to Socotra after the outbreak of a severe crisis between officials in the outgoing government and the UAE, when the latter sent military forces to the island. The discord ended with mediation by Riyadh, which then strengthened its military presence there.

The sources confirmed that the reinforcements are “armor, light weapons and ammunition” for the Saudi forces, which are stationed at the airport and the port of the island.

Along with the weapons that arrived in Socotra, it is not excluded that the Saudis would have reinforced additional soldiers.

In the past few days, armed militias calling for secession, backed by the United Arab Emirates, – the so-called “security belt” – have taken control of the gates of Socotra port for hours, before reinforcements from the army and security forces arrived and got them out.