United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra

United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra
	Part of the Yemeni Crisis and the Yemeni Civil War
	; Yemen United Arab Emirates Socotra
Date	30 April 2018 – 14 May 2018; (2 weeks)
Location	Socotra Archipelago, Yemen
Result	Joint military training exercise agreed upon between Yemen and the UAE.
Territorial; changes	UAE Army troops take over Socotra Airport, seaports, and all four islands of the archipelago on 30 April 2018.; Administrative control of the island returned to the occupying Yemeni government on 14 May 2018.;
Belligerents
Yemen	United Arab Emirates
Commanders and leaders
Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr; Ahmed Abdallah Ali al-Socotri	Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Units involved
Yemen Armed Forces	United Arab Emirates Armed Forces
Strength
Unknown	0-200 troops

On 30 April 2018, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) deployed more than a hundred troops with artillery and armored vehicles to the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra in the Guardafui Channel without prior coordination with the Yemeni government, causing the relations of the two countries to deteriorate. The initial deployment consisted of UAE military aircraft carrying more than fifty UAE soldiers and two armored vehicles, followed by two more aircraft carrying more soldiers, tanks and other armored vehicles.^[1]^[2] Al Jazeera reported that shortly after landing, UAE forces dismissed Yemeni soldiers stationed at administrative installations such as Socotra Airport and seaports until further notice, and the flag of the United Arab Emirates was raised above at official government buildings in Hadibu.^[3] On 14 May an agreement was reached between the UAE and Yemen which saw Yemen regain administrative control and Saudi Arabian troops also being deployed to the island.

^ "Anger in Yemen after UAE troops take over 'alien' island of Socotra". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
^ "UAE deploys troops to Yemen's Socotra island". The Daily Star - Lebanon. 7 May 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
^ "Anger erupts on Yemen's Socotra as UAE deploys over 100 troops". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

[:1-1] "Anger in Yemen after UAE troops take over 'alien' island of Socotra". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

[2] "UAE deploys troops to Yemen's Socotra island". The Daily Star - Lebanon. 7 May 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

[AJ2-3] "Anger erupts on Yemen's Socotra as UAE deploys over 100 troops". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]