AL AIN // Emirati soldier, Ahmed Amer Al Ka’abi who was part of the brigade that was attacked on Friday in Yemen is being treated at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
His wife, Hamda Khalifa Al Nuaimi said that her husband is “alive and well”.
“My husband called me today (Sunday) afternoon and told me that he is fine. I haven’t heard from him since. ”
Her brother, Abdullah Khalifa Al Nuaimi, 22, was not so lucky and pronounced dead along with 45 other officers.
“I was sure my husband was dead too because he was with my brother when they were attacked,” Mrs Al Kaabi said.
The mother of four said she last spoke to her brother on Wednesday.
“I was on phone talking to my brother Abdullah on Wednesday evening. He talked to my kids and they asked him “when are we going to see you?”
Later she said she learnt through Twitter that 22 soldiers, the initial death toll, lost their lives in an explosion.
“We knew Abdullah was located somewhere far on the Saudi-Yemeni borders but we were sure he was fine,”
Neighbours, she said, approached the family and told them, “Abdullah is dead”. Moments later she said they were contacted by the armed forces who confirmed Abdullah’s death.
Abdullah’s mother, Ms Mariam Khamis Al Ka’abi said she still couldn’t believe the news of her son’s death.
“I didn’t believe the armed forces. I had to see my boy’s body first.” she said.
“His body arrived at dawn on Friday and that’s when it hit me: my son is dead.”
Born in 1992, Abdullah is one of nine children — three boys and six sisters. He graduated from Zayed Military School.
Corporal Buti Ayel Al Ahbabi was also among those caught in Friday’s attack. “We were chatting at around 12:30am in our ‘family group’ using Whatsapp the day before the attack,” his brother, Hamad Ayel Al Ahbabi said.
Later, after the attack was announced, he said they received news that Buti had been injured.
“We received a text saying an attack and an explosion is 2km away from where Buti is located. It stated that there are a number of deaths and just after Al Asr prayer, we were told that Buti has been hurt and his left arm is injured badly,” Mr Ahbabi said.
Corporal Buti died soon after due to his injuries.
His mother, Mahra Abdulrahman Al Ahbabi, he said, was “in shock” when she was told the news. “She couldn’t believe it when we told her Buti was dead. She later felt proud knowing that her son died a martyr ... that is only when she decided to accept the news,” Mr Al Ahbabi said.
Buti, 33, has a four year-old son and a two year-old daughter. His wife is also expecting another child soon.
ealdhaheri@thenational.ae
