Tributes paid to serviceman killed in Yemen ahead of Al Warqa funeral

Tributes paid to Emirati serviceman Khalid Ali Ghareeb Al Baloushi, who was killed while on duty with the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen.

Emirati serviceman Khalid Ali Ghareeb Al Baloushi was killed while on duty with the Saudi-led Arab coalition’s Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen. Courtesy Mohammed Mubarak

YEMEN // The funeral of Emirati serviceman Khalid Ali Ghareeb Al Baloushi, who was killed while on duty with the Saudi-led Arab coalition’s Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen, will take place Saturday after Al Duhur prayers at the Al Warqa Grand Mosque in Dubai.

The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces announced the death of the serviceman on Friday, and offered its condolences to the family of Mr Al Baloushi.

The 36-year-old soldier, who lived in Al Warqa, leaves behind five children. His eldest is 19-year-old daughter Moza; his sons are Mansour, Tareq, Naser and Jasim. He was one of 17 siblings, with nine brothers and seven sisters.

Mr Al Baloushi is the cousin of Sergeant Nader Mubarak Eisa Soliman, who died last week and was buried in Dubai.

“We last saw him around 10 days ago, he came to check up on our mother as she was in hospital,” said his brother Rashid, 42. “He called our mother yesterday to check up on her and follow up on our family news.”

Another brother of the soldier, Fahid, 24, said the family was shocked to hear of his martyrdom.

“Our family received the news with great sadness,” he said. “He was a great brother and loved by all his brothers and sisters. Our parents are in shock as he was just here with us a month ago. May he rest in peace.

“Last week our family lost another man, serviceman Nader, and now his cousin followed him in defending our nation and serving our country.”

The circumstances of Mr Al Baloushi’s death, or where in Yemen he died, have not been announced.