Local Editor
In an article published on April 3, the Middle Easy Eye cites sources claiming that a feud between Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince/ supreme commander of the Emirati armed forces Mohammed bin Zayed is threatening to split the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen.
Sources close to Hadi told MEE that an angry confrontation took place between the two when Hadi flew to Abu Dhabi in an attempt to patch up differences over who controls Aden's airport, a key supply route for Emirati-backed troops and the Yemeni president himself.
The meeting in late February lasted 10 minutes and ended in a burst of anger, sources said.
When bin Zayed reminded Hadi of how much the UAE had ‘sacrificed’ during the bloody campaign against Yemen, Hadi responded by saying the Emiratis were behaving "like an occupation power in Yemen rather than a force of liberation". This enraged bin Zayed even more, the sources said.
The Aden airport issue first erupted when Hadi himself was refused landing permission in early February and had to land instead on the Yemeni island of Socotra before he made another attempt to fly back into Aden.
Hadi responded by firing the head of the airport, who had refused to obey orders.
Hadi then had the commander of his so-called Fourth Brigade - which acts as the presidential bodyguard - lay siege to the airport, and clashes between the two sides followed.
The Saudis attempted to mediate by arranging a meeting between the Saudi Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Hadi and bin Zayed in Riyadh. The meeting in Abu Dhabi between bin Zayed and Hadi took place two weeks after that.
All appeared to be calm until last week, when a second incident occurred at the airport.
The commander of the Fourth Brigade landed at the airport, and the Emiratis in control of the airport refused to allow him to leave.
Qabati refused to fly away from the airport in the airplane he came in on. The standoff was finally resolved when the Saudis flew a private jet to take the brigadier general back to Riyadh.
This incident was the last straw for Hadi, who responded by firing the governor of Aden and another minister – both close to the Emiratis. Other sackings will follow, sources say.
The Saudis have since been forced to back Hadi publicly. He was endorsed first by a meeting with the Saudi king, Salman, and then by meeting the US ambassador.
According to Arabi 21, bin Salman is said to have declared Riyadh's support for "all the decisions, measures and arrangements that support legitimacy and put in order the security and military situation in Aden and the rest of the provinces".
No one knows quite what bin Zayed will do now. Apart from the presence of Emirati special forces in Yemen, the UAE is expanding its grip on southern Yemen by funding groups loyal to them. One is 15,000 strong.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash has criticised the sacking of the two men described as close to the UAE.
In a tweet on his personal Twitter account on Saturday, Gargash said: "Among the rules of political action is that you should build trust with your allies, that you should not stab them in the back, that your decisions should be commensurate with your capabilities and that you put public interest ahead of personal ones."
Another sign of official Emirati anger with Hadi was apparent in a tweet by Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai's head of security.
He said: "Replacing Hadi is a Gulf, Arab and international demand."
He added: "The first steps toward a solution in Yemen would be to end Hadi's reign, which has eroded with time."
Source: MEE, Edited by Website Team
