Long in the United Arab Emirates were in Yemen-war on the side of Saudi Arabia to fight the Houthis. But that is over now. Because the Emirates pursue other goals.
The South’ili separatists in Aden – The Emirates you Saudi support Arabia
Days long-fought independence fighters from the South against government forces, until they have finally captured a few days ago the presidential Palace in the geo-strategically important port city of Aden. Aden during the Yemen war, the interim capital and home to the internationally recognized transitional government.
Since 2015, war in Yemen, already – but so far, the fronts were different. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab States supported the government forces of Abd rabbuh Mansur Hadi, together in the fight against the Houthi rebels in the North of the country. Which in turn get support from Iran, the archenemy of Saudi Arabia.
Secession of South Yemen as a possible consequence of
However, the front position in the conflict in Aden is the other: There troops by the President against separatists who once fought together with the military coalition against the Houthis are fighting now. The independence fighters struggle for years with the government, because, actually, they’ve been fighting for decades for an independent state of South Yemen, as he had already, prior to Yemeni unification in 1990, passed. And you seem to be your goal come closer than ever before. The fear of a civil war in the war grows.
Actually, Saudi Arabia (on the left of king Salman) and the Emirates (Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed) are close – but in Yemen they are at odds
The fights not only reveal the possibility of a cleavage of the Yemen, but at the same time cracks within the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition. Because while Saudi Arabia still supports Hadis government in the fight against the Houthis, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is behind the separatists, and the Transitional Council of the South (STC).
UAE let Saudi Arabia stand
In a Meeting with the Saudi crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the strong man from the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed tried to smooth the waves. Both called on the various parties to the conflict to talk to each other. It is still not clear, you will communicate what in Aden. However, avoiding Mohammed bin Zayed is an explicit invitation to the commander-in-chief of the separatists, Aidarus al Zubaidi, from the city to withdraw.
Actually, the actions of the Emirates should not be a Surprise for the major regional power Saudi Arabia. Even if the Emirates once stood firmly at the side of the Riads, they had already before the Coup you support separatists in Aden, withdrawal from Yemen announced.
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Huthis or the Muslim brotherhood?
“Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen-a war has always been different objectives,” says Gulf States expert Guido Steinberg of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und politik in Berlin. Even if both wanted to beat the Houthis, the Saudi Arabia have always had a higher priority, because they received Iran’s support, he explains. In addition, the Saudi had sought-Arabs, the Alliance brothers with “Islah”, a mix of militias and the Muslim. “For Emirates, it was a red cloth, because the fight against the Muslim brotherhood in the Region is more important for them than the struggle against Iran.” It was one of the most important lines in the entire Region, to fight the Muslim brotherhood as an Alternative to authoritarian regimes.
Under Mohammed bin Salman, the Anti-Teheran-rate has, however, been further strengthened. The Emirates, however, have sent only a few weeks ago for the first Time in six years, a Delegation of its coast guard in Iran, in order to clarify with the management of security issues. The UAE see Iran as a threat, seem to want a war to avoid it – also because the country has a good reputation with foreign investors. It should come to war with Iran, would have devastating consequences for the economy.
Economic interests in the foreground
Steinberg is, therefore, another reason for the actions of the Emirates in Yemen: “For Emirates, it has always played a role, to gain control of important ports in the South.” And the you have. Since they control all ports in the South of the country, you can live with an independent South Yemen.
Saudi Arabia wants to lead the fight against the Huthis and against the Iran team. However, the Emirates want to know nothing more. Because they, too, have seen that the Houthis make a successful resistance, and the war is not to win. According to data from Acled (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project) have been killed since the beginning of the war, over 70,000 people. The United Nations warned that the number could rise in the coming year to purchase up to 200,000 victims.
To strengthen authoritarian regimes
But the fact that Riyadh will withdraw from the war, not Guido Steinberg, for the time being. Saudi Arabia have always defined the fight against the Houthis was a fight against a Shia Yemeni Hezbollah, the stand of the saudi-Arabian border and the South of the country with rockets threatening. “That was always the horror picture in 2015, when the war began. At that time there was. Now this is not so. This can make the Riad now actually, not like that.” Unless a face is true to the end, political solution.
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The former allies, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia divide over the conflict in Yemen completely, don’t believe Guido Steinberg. It was shown that it has different interests in relation to the Huthis, “and not to forget the Riad so quickly.” But there is still many issues on which the two had agreed, as in dealing with Egypt, with Libya, or the Sudan. “There, you pull together – either to keep authoritarian regimes in Power or to bring them to Power. This theme remains in place.”