UAE money destroying Yemen’s Ta’izz: Pro-Hadi commander

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is destroying the Yemeni city of Ta’izz, a source says, after clashes erupted between the Emirati-sponsored Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh’s forces and the self-proclaimed Riyadh-backed government of former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Clashes erupted last weekend in Ta'izz between the two sides after the Saudi-backed militants tried to impose restrictions on the UAE-sponsored mercenaries in the southwestern city.

The Middle East Eye said in a report on Sunday that impoverished Yemenis in Ta’izz are joining the ranks of Tareq - the nephew of the late Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh who is accused of leading a deadly crackdown on 2011 protests against his uncle - "for one reason: Emirati money".

He established the National Resistance Forces (NRF), which is primarily made up of former members of the Yemeni Republican Guard, at the western coast around the port city of Mocha.

According to the report, the group has expanded to Ta’izz, recruiting new mercenaries every day due to the high salaries it offers.

The prospect of higher salaries has prompted thousands of pro-Hadi militants to join the NRF. Most of them now live in the town of al-Turbah which lies on the strategic main road between the Ta’izz and the port city of Aden.

Violent protests

In response, the so-called military police in Ta’izz, which are loyal to the Islah Party that represents the Hadi’s self-proclaimed government in the city, deployed reinforcements to impose restrictions on the movement of Tareq's militants in al-Turbah.

As a result, the NRF and their supporters staged protests in al-Turbah last weekend, demanding the withdrawal of the new military camps, most of which are linked to Islah forces, in the area.

Clashes between NRF supporters and the Islah-backed forces stopped on Sunday, but sporadic fighting broke out again.

ME