Umm Saeed, the mother of Saeed Al Marri, 45, who lost his life along with 44 of his companions in a rocket attack in Marib province, says that what happened to her son was God’s will. Satish Kumar / The National
Umm Saeed, the mother of Saeed Al Marri, 45, who lost his life along with 44 of his companions in a rocket attack in Marib province, says that what happened to her son was God’s will. Satish Kumar / TShow more

Martyr was a man of faith and love



DUBAI // On September 4, Saeed Al Marri rose early as usual to lead his comrades in Yemen in fajr prayers.

Shortly after Saeed, 45, lost his life along with 45 of his companions in a rocket attack in Marib province. It was the day after his birthday and the deadliest in UAE military history.

His family remember him as a man of faith and love for others.

“My dear brother Saeed was a devout man who became known as the ‘imam of the martyrs’ on social media because his last act before dying was leading his brothers in prayer,” says Marwan Al Marri.

As news of the attack reached home, Saeed’s family were hopeful that he might have survived.

“It was a devastating day for the country and all of the martyrs’ families,” Marwan says. “We were hopeful that he might still be alive but a DNA sample that was a match destroyed all hope.”

A DNA sample from a family member was needed to identify the body.

“Our mother would wake up every day and ask us if we’ve heard from Saeed while we were waiting for news,” says Jameela Al Marri, the soldier’s sister. “The news was hard on her but she couldn’t be more proud.”

As sad as they were, Jameela says the support the family has received from even the highest levels has helped to ease their pain.

“I’ll never forget the moment Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed [Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces] walked through our door.

“It felt like he was one of us. He came in and consoled us, made sure we were OK.”

Saeed’s nephew and close friend, Mohamed Al Suwaidi, 43, says his death has left a hole in his life .

“We were close in age and lived together in the same house. Words can’t express the void he’s left,” says Mohammed.

He says that Sheikh Mohammed’s words – “Al bait mitwahid”, or “We are one house united” – resonated with the family.

“The house did feel unified,” says Mohamed, who works with Dubai Police. “We were unified in our grief and sorrow. The funeral period usually takes three days but our house and welcoming tent kept receiving people for a few days after.

“The whole country was united and remains so. We honour Saeed, his brothers and their sacrifice, and so did everyone who came to offer their condolences,” said Mr Al Suwaidi who works for Dubai Police.

Umm Saeed says what happened to her son is God’s will and she accepts it.

“If our children didn’t protect our countries then who else will,” she says. “His children are a reminder of him, they’re continuing his legacy.”

nalremeithi@thenational.ae

In the lead up to Commemoration Day The National speaks to the families of the soldiers who have died during the Saudi-led coalition launched Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen. Check out our coverage here:

Chief executive of Aldar Properties is proud to be a martyr's son

Emirati widow's grief soothed by birth of son

Children of UAE hero killed in Yemen proud of father's sacrifice

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible

Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465

Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km

Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

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