The worst scenario in Yemen is that it turns into an arena for terrorist organizations and their fleeing remnants from Iraq and Syria, as well as into a center for assembling fugitives from prosecution about international war. This scenario can cause a prolongation of the turmoil on the land of this country, as it will become difficult to complete and carry on humanitarian aid and relief implemented by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Moreover it will threaten the future of this country.
This concern stems from what has been recently published by the British newspaper Financial Times in a report that elements of Daesh escaped from Syria and Iraq with the intend to go to Yemen, taking advantage of the security vacuum to engage in the war, which began to take “a sectarian character there.” The report says that the war between rebels and the government of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi began to take “a sectarian character”, which provides an environment for the spread of extremist ideas and expands their influence.
The report notes that Daesh is active in Yemen, but its elements do not make up a large force there, as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is strongest in terms of power and influence. But Daesh may reconstitute itself in Yemen, supporting on its branch there, and this may lead to confrontations between its components and elements of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, due to the differences between them about the declaration of “the caliphate”, and how they deal with civilians, which threatens by the continuity of unrest in Yemen. But the report does not deny the possibility that the flow of the organization’s elements to Yemen will strengthen Al-Qaeda, since the two groups have a common goal which is to fight the Shiite rebels. It is probable that both parties will unify themselves in the fight against the “rebels.”
It is known that the Arab coalition countries have launched the operations of Decisive Storm and then Restore Hope, in response to the call of the legitimate government. This came after the Huthis tried to undermine the foundations of the constitutional legitimacy in this country, and tried to take power from the government and turn it into an arena for play acting and Iranian influence, which means serious damage to the interests, security and stability of Yemeni people. The Arab alliance campaign was not an interference in Yemeni affairs, but came in accordance with the charters and resolutions of the United Nations, because the Gulf Cooperation Council has adopted, since 2011, the auspices of Yemen through the Gulf initiative which represented the harmonious framework for political transition in Yemen and to ensure that security and stability return to its land. But rebels, at the behest of Iran and the deposed Ali Abdullah Saleh, turned to undermine what was built and sought to control the power, and to put all before a fait accompli. However, the Arab coalition countries, led by Saudi Arabia, have taken a firm decision on a crucial time to eradicate Iranian interference in Yemeni affairs.
The risk of the presence of terrorist organizations on the territory of Yemen did not pass unnoticed by the strategic planners of the Arab Alliance. Addressing the risk of these organizations was as an Arab Coalition goal later. Emirati forces were, competently and bravely, able to liberate Mukalla city, after more than a year of Al Qaeda’s control over the city, where the organization suffered a humiliating loss by Yemeni forces backed by the UAE Special Forces. Moreover, UAE troops, in cooperation with Yemeni forces, contributed in the liberation of large parts of eastern Yemen from the grip of Al-Qaeda. The terrorist organization was heavily located in these areas even during the rule of ousted Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The Emirates is working in Yemen for the benefit of the people, with which we have a historic fraternal relationship that makes it impossible for us to evade our responsibilities about it. Even more, the Emirates has sacrificed the blood of its sons in order to defend the security and stability of this nation in the face of an aggressive force that aims to impose the agenda and project affiliated to Iran. The UAE, which amounted, since the month of April 2015, about 6.1 billion dollars as an aid to our brothers in Yemen, only designed to help the Yemeni brothers to ensure the security and stability of their country.
The peculiar development of the turning of the remaining members of Daesh to Yemen is worthy of attention and interest from the international community. The provision of strong international support must accelerate to have all Yemeni parties commit to the serious political process. Here lies the major responsibility of the United Nations to achieve this vital goal instead of turning Yemen into a new center for Daesh. Also, pressure should be put on Iran to stop the smuggling of weapons to the rebels.
We must not chase Daesh out of Syria only to find them again in Yemen, or wait for a conflict of interests between Daesh and Al-Qaeda, the Financial Times says. The victim of an alliance of the two organizations will practically be the Yemeni people, who will suffer from the fights between extremist and terrorist organizations and proxy wars. It may be difficult for the international community to eradicate these organizations from Yemeni territory due to differing terrains between Syria and Yemen, and also because in the caves and mountains of Yemen hidden terrorists cannot be easily found, where they can fight long-term battles that will exhaust the world. More importantly, this will eliminate opportunities of security and stability in this Arab country in the foreseeable future.
