Page 10 - aruba-today-20190709

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 9 July 2019

UAE draws down troops in Yemen in 'strategic redeployment'

By AYA BATRAWY The Saudi-led coalition
Associated Press has been at war in Yemen
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- since 2015 to support the
ates (AP) — The United Arab country's internationally-
Emirates has drawn down backed government. Tens
its troop levels in Yemen of thousands of people
but remains a key member have been killed and the
of the Saudi-led coalition at war has generated the
war with Iran-aligned rebels world's worst humanitarian
there, a senior Emirati offi- crisis, drawing sharp bipar-
cial said Monday. tisan criticism in Congress.
The official confirmed that When discussing the draw-
UAE troop levels are down, down, the Emirati official
describing it as a "strategic also noted the escalating
redeployment." The official tensions between the U.S.
declined to disclose how and Iran in the Persian Gulf
many soldiers have left region, saying the UAE was
Yemen and how many re- not blind to "the overall
main. geostrategic picture."
"Definitely, we do have A number of American
troop levels that are down academics and analysts
for reasons that are strate- who met recently with Emi-
gic in Hodeida and reasons rati military officials say that
that are tactical," the of- In this Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, Emirati soldiers stand guard out the rear gate of a Chinook military in addition to withdraw-
ficial said, referring to the helicopter traveling from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. ing a significant number
Yemeni port city where a Associated Press of troops from Yemen, the
U.N.-brokered cease-fire is Talking to journalists in staging ground for Emirati official said. Emiratis have also moved
supposed to be in place. Dubai, the official said it operations in Hodeida. "Our commitment in Yemen Patriot batteries and other
The official spoke on condi- makes sense to redeploy Any other redeployment in remains. We are part of the defense systems from Ye-
tion of anonymity because away from Hodeida and others parts of Yemen "will coalition," the official said, men back to the UAE to
he was not authorized to by extension from the UAE's ebb and flow based our adding that the drawdown boost security and readi-
discuss troop deployments military base at Eritrea's own assessment of what was discussed extensively ness at home amid height-
for security reasons. post of Assab, which was a the situation involves," the with the Saudis. ened tensions with Iran.q

Albanian lawmakers launch investigation to oust president

By LLAZAR SEMINI the allegations. Supporters the Socialists lost only in
Associated Press of the Democratic Party- two of Albania's 61 munici-
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Al- led opposition gathered in palities, according to pre-
bania's opposition parties front of Prime Minister Edi liminary results. The mainly
resumed anti-government Rama's office Monday to center-right opposition has
protests Monday after their again call for his resigna- refused to recognize the
boycott of June 30 munici- tion. The demonstration results. The Albanian parlia-
pal elections, which were ended peacefully, and op- ment voted Monday to set
mostly won by the govern- position leaders said they up a special commission
ing Socialists. would continue the politi- to investigate and possibly
Opposition parties have cal fight. oust President Ilir Meta for
organized protests since All the earlier protests, ex- his unsuccessful attempt to
mid-February to air accu- cept for one June 21, erupt- cancel the municipal elec-
sations that the Socialist ed in violence, with op- tions. Socialist lawmakers
government has links to or- position supporters hurling said they think Meta's effort
ganized crime and to de- firebombs at police and of- was unconstitutional. The
Supporters of the Democratic Party-led opposition gather during mand new parliamentary ficers responding with tear nine-member special com-
a rally in Tirana, Monday, July 8, 2019. elections. The party and gas and water cannon. mission is expected to issue
Associated Press government officials deny In the elections last month, a report in three months. q